Where There's Darkness, There Is Light
by Rae F. Scott
Summary: Obidala fic. Some missing moments at the end of RotS. Being close to death, Padmé reflects on her life with Anakin and searches for a reason to go on living... UPDATED ! LAST CHAPTER FINALLY UP NOW ! NJOY !
1. Prologue

Author's notes: 

This is an Obidala of course. Hell, I almost cried at the end of RotS. So, it's kind of a missing moment, or better, a few missing moments at the end of Episode III.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It's all Georges...

**_Where There Is Darkness, There Is Light_**

_**Prologue**_

At the beginning there was light. There was a little innocent boy who was meant to save the galaxy. Meant to be the Chosen One. Meant to bring balance to the Force. Willing to learn the powers of the light side. And he grew up and became a powerful Jedi Knight. He fought for justice with the blue blade of his Jedi weapon. And he did well. His master was his best friend. His brother. And they learned from one another. But one day, the young man fell in love with a galactic senator.

_A Jedi shall not know love._

He ignored the rule of attachment. He married the senator. And they kept it a secret. No one knew about their marriage. Except the Jedi's master. He knew. He had always known and never told anyone. To protect his friends, hoping it would turn out to a happy ending.

But the young Jedi's love turned out to be an obsession. He was jealous because his wife trusted his master much more than she trusted him. He was angry because his master also was a part of her life.

_A Jedi should not know anger._

In the end, he fought against his master and almost killed his wife although he wanted to save her so badly, that he had fallen and turned to the dark side. There was jealousy. There was fear. He was afraid his love could be taken away from him by his best friend. His brother. The master won the struggle. But his apprentice was still alive. And so it came that the young man went on living in hatred.

_A Jedi shall not know hatred._

In the end there was darkness. And the galaxy fell into it, just like the young Sith lord, who had used to be an innocent boy, a talented Jedi and a hero, and now was, where he had started from. A tortured creature in slavery and moreover, was not able to feel anything anymore. Damned to exist in the prison that was his own tortured body.

His master returned to the fallen hero's wife to save at least one of his beloved ones.

And this is where this story begins…


	2. It Has Always Been You

Author's notes:

I hope you'll like this. There are more chapters to come. Reviews would be nice. OK, maybe this is not very realistic because of whatever. But I liked the idea of Padmé realizing that she has always had feelings for a certain Jedi…

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It's all George's…

_**It Has Always Been You**_

Padmé woke up in a weird place. She did not know where she was or what had happened. And as she looked closer, she realized that she did not even really wake up. Only her soul was standing in this hall full of living pictures that moved every now and then. The whole place was dived into a light blue, it almost seemed like the ground of an ocean. But there was light everywhere, sunlight shining down on to the water, mixing up the colours and making it look peaceful and nice. As she moved towards one of the pictures in this mysterious gallery, a rush of memories awakened inside her mind. She looked at the slightly shimmering picture in front of her and saw Anakin and Obi-Wan fight against each other. There was fire and heat all around the two of them. Hatred and darkness glowed in her husband's eyes, while there appeared sadness and grief in Obi-Wan's. _Darth Vader _… a scary, low voice whispered. It almost frightened her to death and then, a cold shiver run down her spine. The pictures had moved once again and now there was one showing Anakin in the Jedi temple. Innocent children. The blue blade of his lightsaber. And then the picture faded to black again.

_No ! What have you done ? Anakin, don't ! _ she whimpered, covering her face with both of her hands. Her memories returned all of a sudden and stabbed her right into her heart.

Oh Anakin ! How could you do this to me ? I loved you. And you could have saved me. All I wanted was you love. But you threw everything away because of this… Your power, your empire was more important to you. Your empire. I would have forgiven you everything. We could have escaped, lived in a place where no one knew us. But you didn't listen to me. If I should die right now, then I blame you. You and your empire, that will rise and fall with you…

She opened her eyes for a brief moment and was blinded by the harsh white light in the room. She could not see very much, only a medical droid and Obi-Wan holding a beautiful baby in his arms. Her baby.

"It's a boy." Obi-Wan said quietly, trying to give her a smile. Padmé looked at the crying little thing only for a few seconds.

"Luke." she breathed and closed her eyes again.

Her thoughts still were with Anakin right now. But these thoughts made her weak, and so her breath became weaker, too. She had once loved a hero, a Jedi, a good man. But Anakin was gone. But the possibility, that he might dead was not as painful as the fact that she was mistaken about him. Breath by breath she started to realize that his love had been nothing but an obsession. As she remembered their love, their lives and their marriage, she wondered, how she could ever let all of this happen.

I should have known. I should have seen it coming.

She had always felt his distress and the fear deep within his soul. Darkness had surrounded him all the time so it had nearly been visible. But somehow, she had been able to fool herself. There had been that one piece of personal luck and she had wanted it to be hers. She had wanted to have a family. And now she was standing in front of a million pieces. Had it been worth it ? Reflecting once more on Anakin's and her love, she could not really answer the question.

_Had this been love anyways ? Had it been a strong kind of physical attraction? No, I loved him. For many reasons. But there are at least as many reasons why I had never really trusted him._

"It's a girl." Again, Obi-Wan held a little baby in his protective arms.

"Leia." Padmé whispered softly.

"Don't give up, Padmé ! Save your energy !" Obi-Wan said desperately. She swallowed, took a deep breath and fell into unconsciousness again. But Obi-Wan's gentle voice echoed in Padmé's mind over and over again. For some reason, it calmed her down a little bit.

The next moment, she was in the mysterious gallery again, but this time, it felt like drifting away in peaceful dreams instead of horrifying nightmares. In her memories, she travelled back in time and finally found some relief there.

She encountered many old friends, like Jar Jar Binks and the Gungans, Master Yoda and Master Windu, her sister Sola, Shmi Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan apprentice. Obi-Wan Kenobi. She remembered the close friendship between master and apprentice, how they had become friends with Jar Jar, and finally the celebrations after the battle of Naboo. She went on to the beginning of the Clone Wars when she had been reunited with Obi-Wan, who had become a wise Jedi Master. She thought of leaving Tattooine to save him on Geonosis, and now being saved by _him_.

Obi-Wan had always been a loyal friend to her. He had always been there for her, no matter what, even when he had found out about her and Anakin, he had offered his help. He would never let her down just like her husband had. Not Obi-Wan. She completely trusted him, in way, she had never trusted Anakin. She trusted him with her life. In that moment, she banished Anakin from her heart. She decided not to hate him. She decided that he had died in the moment he had become Darth Vader. She decided to live… And to let love flow into her soul again.

Finally she brought herself back to reality to look into Obi-Wan's eyes, those eyes that were watching over her, protecting her. She had to smile.

Then there was warmth. The warmth of his true and honest friendship, his presence, the look in his blue eyes and the sad smile on his trembling lips that he sent back to her. And then there was light. The light of the truth that she was facing now, a truth she was not afraid of. The light of Obi-Wan's beautiful soul that she felt all around and deep within herself. The light that seemed to surround the two of them and somehow united her soul with his. The light she had thought she'd lost forever.

_It has been him. Always. And I didn't realize._

"Padmé… Stay with me. Keep breathing. Don't leave us !" he said with a trembling voice. Padmé slightly shook her head.

"I'm not gonna go anywhere." she whispered. "Obi-Wan… Now I know. It has been you. It has always been you."

"What do you mean, Padmé ?" he asked confused. With a small gesture, she signalled him to get a bit closer to her. Obi-Wan leaned forward to her and she began to speak with a gentle voice:

"So many times, our paths have crossed. You have become my closest friend. You have always been there for me. Now I know. I know your feelings. You… didn't give in to the dark side… although you… loved me… just like he did. And even more. But you were wiser. Wise enough to follow the light that is now all around you, the light that keeps me breathing… I can see it… I fooled myself when I thought I could be happy with him. I fooled myself. You know that, and so do I."

"Padmé, I…" Obi-Wan wanted to interrupt her but she softly put her finger on his lips and took a deep breath.

"Anakin had always been jealous of you. And I couldn't figure out why. But now I know. I can hear the midichlorians talking to me. I can hear your feelings and your every thought. And suddenly, everything becomes so clear, that I can't believe it has ever been different. I love… you, Obi-Wan. I really do. And that is how you saved me."

"No. You have done that yourself." he returned while grabbing her hand and holding it tight in his.

_To Be Continued…_


	3. Future Plans

A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter. Like the second chapter was more about Padmé's thoughts and feeling, this is now all about Obi-Wan's conflict. The lines written in italics are Obi-Wan's thoughts. Enjoy ! And thank you all for your nice reviews !

_Future Plans _

Now that things were so complicated, they had to make up a plan for the future. Anakin was alive. Although Obi-Wan had badly injured him in their fight, they could all sense, that he was still breathing. It was a heavy breath, dark and unnatural. But it was still there. The Force was filled with such breaths and they spread themselves over Obi-Wan's soul.

"Save the children must be kept." Yoda's wise voice shook him out of his thoughts.

"We'll have to hide them somewhere the Sith cannot sense their presence." Obi-Wan agreed.

"Spilt up they should be." Yoda added looking sadly at Obi-Wan who reached out to the Force and tried to interpret the green little Jedi's look.

"No, you can't be serious, Master." he said shaking his head. "You can't take her children away from Padmé. Just remember a few hours ago, she almost died of a broken heart. She's only alive because… because of… these two babies. I can't do this to her."

_I can't break her heart, now that is so vulnerable. I can't…_

Of course, Obi-Wan did not mention Padmé's confessions. She had said that she loved him. And that this love was the reason she was still alive. But he could not tell Yoda about this, could he ? Another glance at the Jedi Master revealed that Yoda already seemed to know something about all of this.

"Breaking her heart, you won't, Obi-Wan. Fine she will be." Yoda returned slightly smiling, so one could hardly even notice that smile.

_Yes, I will. Because I can't be with her, although she has become the most important person in the galaxy to me. And now it will be me who takes her children away from her. She'll hate me for that. And I don't want her to hate me._

"I'll go and talk to her." Obi-Wan said nodding in Yoda's direction. As he got up to leave the room, he saw a medical droid walking through the door, pushing a wheelchair.

Padmé's face was very pale, she still looked exhausted but also gorgeous. Her long hair fell over her back beautifully, only a couple of streaks brushed her cheeks. And to Obi-Wan's surprise, her face expression was a happy one this time. And one could see that the strength she had seemed to lose was returning slowly.

_She's so beautiful. Still full of sadness, fighting with the loss, hoping to find something I can't give her, can I ? _

Obi-Wan walked over to her and kneeled down in front of the wheelchair. He gently pushed one of the streaks back from her face and then took her hands in his. Her look made him forget that they were not alone, so he did not really think about his behaviour.

"Padmé, I was just about to see you." he said softly.

"I know." she whispered.

"There's something we have to talk about. Your babies." Obi-Wan tried to prepare her for the sad news.

"They can't stay with me, right ?" Obi-Wan looked at her in surprise. Then he nodded.

_She should be a Jedi. How does she know ? Has she become Force sensitive during her pregnancy ?_

"Anakin… Darth Vader is a great threat to them. I'm afraid he could sense their presence if we don't separate them from you and from each other. But we will take care of them, I promise." Obi-Wan explained.

"My feelings for Anakin blinded me. I wanted it to work. But I was stupid to believe the lie that I had made up for all of you and for myself. But now I can see clearly again. I only want the best for my children. And a life in danger and fear is not the best option."

"Milady…" Bail Organa turned to her, "it would be a pleasure for me to raise the little girl. My wife and I always wanted to adopt a baby girl. She will be loved with us."

"Bail, you're like a brother to me. And I will sleep calmly, knowing that you're taking care of her." Padmé answered smiling, still holding Obi-Wan's hand.

"What about Luke, the boy ?" Obi-Wan asked.

"To Tattooine, to his family send him." Yoda suggested. Obi-Wan glanced at Padmé and she gave her silent approval.

"Beru and Owen are good people. And Anakin would never return to Tattooine ever again. It is probably the safest place for him." she said.

"I'll take him there myself and I'll watch over him, I promise." Obi-Wan added.

"What about me ? I'm sure Anakin believes I'm dead. Shouldn't we leave it at that ?" Padmé questioned.

"A funeral we have to arrange." Yoda returned.

"But sending Padmé back to Naboo would be too dangerous. I'm sure, that's where Vader is going to look for her first." Bail mentioned concerned, looking at the two Jedi.

"Sabé, my decoy, she'll take my place. She's almost like my twin sister." she said with a calm voice.

"That might work. Sabé looks perfectly like her. And she's already fooled us once back then on Naboo." Obi-Wan added.

"Try it, we must. So be it." Yoda replied quietly.

"And… where am I going then ?" Padmé asked, sadness dripping off her voice.

"With Master Obi-Wan, you will go. Live on Tattooine. The safest place that is for you, too." Yoda returned before Obi-Wan even had a slight chance to say something. Mouth opened, he turned to Yoda and started to stutter:

"Master… Do you really believe that is a good idea ? I… I just think… I have a bad feeling about this." Yoda could not resist putting on an amused grin.

_I want her to be with me. I want to spend my lifetime with her. She is a dream come true. She is an angel. But she is Anakin's angel. And besides, did she mean what she said to me ? Maybe she was just hallucinating, talking meaningless stuff, holding on to every single blade of grass…_

"A bad feeling I do not have, Master Obi-Wan. A good feeling about this I have. Doubt you should not such an old Jedi's decision." the green Jedi Master answered, pointing his stick at Obi-Wan.

The Jedi was confused and nervous at the same time. Did Master Yoda not sense the feelings he had developed for Padmé ? Didn't he feel the tension between them ? Had he forgotten about the rule of attachment ? And what had happened to Anakin ? Right now, Obi-Wan was nothing but afraid. He was afraid of falling down the edge just like his padawan learner. Afraid of breaking Padmé's heart one more time. Afraid of loving her. And now, of all creatures in the galaxy, it had to be Yoda to push him into chaos.

Obi-Wan reached out to the Force and tried to show the old Master that chaos in his mind. All these voices that told him not to give in to his feelings because it would be wrong and because it was not allowed anyways. But on the other hand there was his loyal friendship and deep love for the senator. He wanted to be with her, but he couldn't. And because he loved her so much, he needed to leave her.

_I'm torn between my feelings and the Jedi. Whenever I look into her eyes, I want to kiss her, embrace her and forget who I am. But I just can't. I can't leave all of this behind. The Jedi are my family. _

At first, Yoda did not show any reactions to the Jedi's desperate call. Only when Bail Organa got up from his chair and offered Padmé to take her back to the infirmary to get a little more rest, he started to answer Obi-Wan's questions.

"Confused you are, Master Obi-Wan."

"Haven't you heard my thoughts through the Force ? I feel lost within the chaos that controls my mind right now." he explained with a trembling voice.

_There are too many voices in my mind. And every voice tells me completely different things. A million advices, another million 'no's. A labyrinth of words and there is no way out._

"Heard I have you. But a problem I do not see."

"I… I love her. I loved her all along. Through all the years, I had feelings for her." Obi-Wan was close to tears. He had never admitted this to anyone. And had never expected to talk about feelings like that with Yoda.

"Not like young Skywalker you are. Turn to the dark side you will not. Sensed your feelings I have a long time ago. Love and friendship I sensed, not anger, fear or jealousy. With your apprentice she was. Married him, the father of her children. But jealousy I do not sense within you. Offered your help you did. Loved both of them. Happiness you wanted for them. Right I am ?"

"Yes, Master." he replied quietly.

"Lover her you do anyways. Share your grief about young Skywalker you should. No one she has, but you, Obi-Wan. Heal her wounds only you can." the old Jedi added.

"I'd love to take her with me. But it somehow feels like treason on Anakin." Obi-Wan answered, covering his face with his hands.

"Your conflict I feel. Anakin... Dead he is. But part of him still wants her to get a little piece of happiness. As his friend, help her you must."

"But it is against the Jedi code, isn't it ?" Obi-Wan almost whispered the words and looked down.

"Obsessive love and selfishness, the code is against. Selfless you are. How else could you have stayed loyal and true through all the years, although feeling you had for her ? If you were meant to fall like your padawan, fallen you would have already." Yoda returned with a calm voice.

"I think I have to meditate on that for quite a while." Obi-Wan said while getting up from his chair, when Yoda started talking again.

"Master Obi-Wan, wait only one more moment. Training I have for you." he said with a joyful face expression.

"Training ?" Obi-Wan wondered what kind of training that could be.

"And old friend has learned the path to immortality. From the netherworld of the Force returned... your old Master."

"Qui-Gon !"

"How you can talk to him, I will teach you. Maybe help you with the confusion in your head, _he_ can..."

_To Be Continued... _


	4. Time Will Tell

A/N: OK, this is I think a sweet chapter. Finally a conversation between Obi-Wan and Padmé and even more ? Find out & enjoy !

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It's all George's.

Lyrics: "Only Time Will Tell", Nana Mouskouri

_Time Will Tell_

He was sitting next to Padmé's bed and looked at her while she was sleeping peacefully. He had meditated on his conflict, but still didn't come to any clear solution. Torn between religion and love, he waited for her to wake up. Her company, her voice - that was what he needed now most. He held her hand in his, stroking it tenderly.

"Padmé, wake up !" he whispered. And as if he had been in her dreams to take her back to reality, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him. One of her sweet smiles that made him already feel so much better. And there was something else… A whisper in his head, telling him that this was what he had wanted for all his life. A voice that pushed him in her arms every night when he dreamed about her. The voice he could not recognize but still sounded so familiar.

"Still there ?" she asked a bit sleepy.

"Of course. Why shouldn't I ?" Obi-Wan returned calmly. Her look turned to a kind of sadness that hit him right in the heart.

"You wanted to leave without me." Padmé answered quietly. He started to shake his head vigorously.

"No. No. It's just... I'm a bit... no... a hell of a lot confused these times. So many things happened. So many things have changed. And sometimes I'm just wondering where my mind is." Padmé looked into his blue eyes as if they would lead her into his mind. She seemed to get lost in the deep blue of his iris, swimming through his thoughts, diving into his feelings. And then she spoke with a whispering voice:

"You're afraid. Afraid of falling. Because of me." Obi-Wan gazed at her in amazement. She used only a few words, simple words and with them, she explained it all so well. There was no need to tell her any fairy tales or lies. She knew. She understood.

"How come that you know me so well ?" he asked. Padmé just touched his face tenderly.

"Maybe because you're my closest friend."

"Hmmm… But… I also think that you've become Force sensitive during your pregnancy. It seems you have become strong… in the Force. I mean… you seem to sense the feelings around you and know what's on my mind. It's kind of strange." he turned to serious again. Padmé nodded.

Sometimes you remind me of Master Yoda." he said and began to grin. Padmé laughed out loudly.

"Are you saying my skin colour has changed to green while I was sleeping ?" she said, sarcasm dripping off her voice.

"No...," Obi-Wan returned, still laughing, "it is the way you talk. You sound like him."

"Sound like him, I do ?" she imitated Yoda's voice giggling. Obi-Wan could not help it. Although there was so much darkness around them, and their future was still undecided, she made him laugh until he cried. Where did Padmé get her strength from ? How could she come up with such jokes now ? How was she able to laugh at all ?

"Padmé… what if you weren't there anymore ?" he said softly.

For a moment, they remained silent. She was deeply touched by his words and did not know what to answer. But her eyes told him a story that was much more beautiful than any spoken words could ever be.

"So… what can I do about it ? That… Force thing ?" she interrupted the silence.

"I could help you with that... How to use it for good, how to meditate on certain things, how to get along with the voices in your head… " he replied.

"You will teach me how to use the Force ?"

"If you want me to..." Padmé answered with a nod.

"I'd feel honoured." she added. Then Obi-Wan's face expression turned to sad again.

"Obi-Wan ? What is it ?" she wanted to know.

"Nothing… It is just… There are some things that we have to talk about." he returned.

"OK." she replied shortly.

"Uhm.. First of all, are you sure about living on Tattooine with me ? You know the place and you know what it's like. I can only imagine that for someone who once has lived on Naboo, a heavenly planet, a paradise, living on Tattooine is like hell." he began. And for the first time, he admitted to himelf, that he was afraid she would decide not to stay with him. But Padmé only shook her head.

"It is true. I will miss Naboo. But I believe that you can make up your own little paradise, no matter where you are. It just depends on with whom you share your life and what you make out of it." Padmé's words felt like pure light filling his heart.

"You're much wiser than I am." he said.

"No, I just don't want to be the pessimist here." she answered smiling.

"Uhm… how do you feel about the funeral ? You have to pretend that you're dead, which means, nobody must know you're still alive, except Yoda, Bail, Sabé, Owen, Beru and myself. Your family needs to believe you're dead. No contact to anyone you know except us. Do you think you can do that ?" he went on.

"Not to tell my family will be hard." she admitted, sadness dripping off her voice.

"I know. But it has to be." Padmé nodded.

"You are right, Obi-Wan. Then so be it." she whispered, feeling a tear running down her pale cheek.

"The Force will help you through these times. And so will I." Obi-Wan tried to reassure her and wiped the tear from her face. She put her hand on his while it was still resting on her cheek. For a few moments, she just enjoyed the warmth and the smell of his skin. Then she leaned forward to him, so that her forehead touched his. Now that she was so close to him, she could feel his every breath on her face. It felt familiar and for some reason not weird at all to be so close to him.

"Padmé… what you said… during childbirth… About me and you… Did you… I mean were you…?" he stuttered nervously.

"Did I mean it ?" she completed his sentence.

"Yes." he whispered.

"Every word. I was serious about my feelings for you. You _are_ precious to me. I _need_ you in my life." she said, crying tears of joy now. Obi-Wan took her head in both of his hands and closed his eyes. He gently kissed her on the cheeks, feeling the salty taste of tears on his tongue. After he had taken a deep breath he opened his mouth to speak:

"I love you… But… right now… everything is so complicated. And our wounds have not healed over yet. I just need time. Time to find myself, to find peace. And so do you. But one day, there will be a chance for us. And until then, I will be your friend and your companion. I'll be there for you, and I'll keep my love deep within my soul. I won't lose it. It won't be long, Padmé. This I promise you."

They stayed for quite a while in that position, not knowing that two Jedi were watching them smiling hopefully…

_Love changed our lonely lives  
Caught us by surprise  
Opened up our eyes  
Somehow we both knew  
Something rare and true  
Something bright and new  
Could be ours forever  
But love love can not be planned  
More you try to learn_

_Less you understand  
Words could not dispel  
What we know so well  
Only time will tell_

_Like a tree as it grows_

_We will reach for the sky  
Like a breeze gently blows  
We'll be free you and I  
For we know  
Time alone holds the key  
Only time alone will tell  
Darling, only time will tell_

_To Be Continued…_


	5. Interlude

A/N: Someone's asked me who the two Jedi in chapter 4 were. So I made up this short chappi to answer the question. Maybe it wasn't that difficult to find out who it was. But because I don't have that much time to write at the moment, I wanted to give this little interlude to you. I hope it won't take me too long to update the next 'real' chapter. Now, enjoy !

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters. They belong to GL….etc..

_Interlude _

"This is your work, Master, isn't it ?" the apparition of the tall, long haired, bearded Jedi said with a slight grin on his face. He was standing in front of the open door, watching Obi-Wan and Padmé.

"Hmmm. Nothing to do with this I have. So long, they have had feelings for each other. Always sensed them, I have. Hope I see in the two of them." the small green figure next to the apparition returned.

"It was your idea that they should live together on Tattooine. Sounds like an intervention to me, Master Yoda."

"A little help some people need when it comes to love. Too complicated and irritating the feeling is. Showed them the path, I did. Walk they must alone." Yoda answered.

"He is right about Padmé. She has become strong in the Force. I sense it, too." the ghost next to him mentioned, still looking at the young couple coming closer to each other.

"Very precious, the Force is to her. A memory it is. A gift."

"Because she got it from her babies..." Yoda nodded.

"Leave them alone, we should." he said while turning his back on the open door.

"There is one thing that I don't quite understand. Why now ? I mean, why didn't this happen earlier ? Why did she have to fall for Anakin ?"

"Know your padawan you do. A Jedi he is, with all of his heart, soul and mind. Resisted his feelings he has. The rule of attachment. Always has had a sense of duty. Allowed himself to act against the rules he would never have. Known she had. Still a family and love she had wanted. Loved Anakin she had. Trusted him, she had not."

"You got a point, Master. In my opinion, Anakin wasn't able to cope with his feelings. He was obsessed with her. He wanted to possess her. Obi-Wan on the other hand has always been able to handle it. It somehow amazes me, that he's been so strong through all those years. I can only imagine what it feels like to love someone so desperately and watch that certain someone marry another man. His heart surely has broken more than once. And all because of the Jedi Order."

Padmé wrapped her arms around Obi-Wan, breathing slowly, in and out. Her head leaning on his shoulder, she closed her eyes and enjoyed his comfort. There in his arms, she felt safe. She found peace there. And it made her realize, that she was not all alone.

Padmé's long, brown hair felt soft on his skin. He would have loved to bury his face in it, wanted to get lost in that nice smell and breathtaking beauty. But he couldn't. It was hard to resist her. It was so hard not to kiss her passionately. It was so hard not to say 'I love you' over and over again. But it was also hard not to think about Anakin all the time.

"Gone the Jedi Order is. New directions have opened to him." Yoda said and walked away quietly.

"I will watch over them and make sure they choose the right one." Qui-Gon's ghost replied, following Yoda down the hallway, disappearing into nothing again.

_To Be Continued..._


	6. At A New Beginning

A/N: Alright, on with the next chapter ! This is the introduction to Obi-Wan's and Padmé's new life on Tattooine. I hope it's not too sweet. if you know what I mean… Whatever, enjoy ! Lookin' forward to your reviews (they were all sooooo nice, thx !).

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters.

Lyrics taken from "At The Beginning" by Richard Marx & Donna Lewis

_At A New Beginning_

They were standing in front of Bail Organa's ship, hugging, saying goodbye to one another. After a ten-hours flight, they had reached Tattooine and that was the moment, when Obi-Wan's and Padmé's new life should begin. The ship had landed somewhere close to the Lars' homestead. For the first few days on the desert planet, Owen and Beru Lars had offered them to stay on their moisture farm until they would have found a place to live.

On the one hand, she was looking forward to this new beginning. She finally wanted to leave her past behind, forget about the horrible things that had happened. On the other hand, she had also been afraid of that moment since she had decided to go with Obi-Wan. Now she would have to leave her children. The two little angels she had barely gotten to know. Leia would be living on Alderaan with Bail and his wife. She would be loved. Padmé tried to tell herself that everything would be alright and that it was the best for her baby daughter. But then she realized that she would probably never see her again. The thought made tears coming up to her eyes and she was not able to hide them. She forced herself to stay strong but she lost. One last time, she took the crying baby in her arms, kissed her forehead and softly stroked across her face.

"Don't cry, love. I will always be with you, Leia. Always." she sobbed while handing her over to Bail. Then she removed the necklace with the japor snippet Anakin had given to her from her neck and gave it to Bail.

"Give this to her when she's older. Tell her… tell her it's a gift from someone who will always love her." she whimpered.

"She will know who you are, I promise." he said, taking the necklace, and returned back into his ship.

"Until the time is right, disappear we will." Yoda spoke quietly. Obi-Wan nodded.

"May the Force be with you, Master." he added with a sad voice.

"May the Force be with the two of you. And with the very young Skywalker…" the Jedi Master replied, nodded in Obi-Wan's direction and followed Bail.

Obi-Wan wrapped an arm around Padmé, who was holding Luke carefully, watching the ship disappear from the sky to somewhere in the galaxy. They were resting like this for quite a while, then they turned to Beru, who was already waiting for them in front of the cabin.

"Let's go in." Obi-Wan whispered.

It had taken them almost a week to find a cabin. Much too long as Obi-Wan thought. The longer they stayed with Beru and Owen, the stronger the bond between Padmé and Luke became. And the more it would hurt when the day of farewell had come. But surprisingly, Padmé did not cry this time. She was calm, even smiling slightly at Beru, when she handed Luke to her.

"Take good care of my son. He is something very special. I know it. It is his destiny." Padmé whispered into Beru's ear.

Then, without looking back, Padmé turned away and walked over to the speeder they got from the Lars', still smiling hopefully. Obi-Wan said goodbye to Owen, gave Beru a hug and followed Padmé to the speeder. He did not say anything. Instead, he decided to leave her alone with her thoughts, give her some time to reflect on the situation.

He started the speeder, Padmé sitting behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around his chest, and headed to the mountains, where their new home would be.

It had gotten late when they finally arrived at the cabin. Although she was exhausted and tired, Padmé got off the speeder quickly and ran over to the entrance of the small building. She was extremely excited about their new place, wanted to know what it looked like on the inside and made plans in her mind how she could nicely furnish it.

"Padmé, slow down ! We have plenty of time to explore the castle." he said sarcastically. She turned around and smiled at him.

"Oh, c'mon, Obi-Wan ! Don't keep me waiting any longer. I wanna come home…" Obi-Wan smiled back at her while taking their little stuff off the speeder. He carried the bags to the door where Padmé was still waiting for him.

"I just think you're expecting too much of this. Im afraid you're disappointed… I mean… this is…"

"Home, Obi-Wan. It is our home now. And I'm not disappointed at all. Now let's go inside and find out more about 'the castle'." she said laughing at him warmly.

As they entered, Padmé was surprised. The cabin was not as small as it looked. In fact, the living room was quite large and spacious. Maybe that was because there was nearly no furniture in it. Only a wooden bench and a table in front the fireplace. Obi-Wan put down the bags and looked around.

"I told you it's not much." he said with a sad voice, expecting Padmé to be disillusioned.

"And I told you not to ruin this moment," she returned sharply, "I like it. It's very nice. Simple, but nice." she added while inspecting the other three rooms. There was a small kitchen with two chairs and a table in it, a bedroom with a closet and a pretty large bed and a completely empty room. She imagined the living room lightened by candles, a soft carpet on the floor which would be perfect to sit by the fireplace. Dark, red curtains in front of the windows, a little sofa instead of the wooden bench and some pictures on the white walls.

"Hmmm. I can work with that." she murmured.

"Work with what ?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I'll fix up this cabin. And when I'm done, it will be a castle. A little one…" she replied.

"Sounds nice. But I'm sorry to be the one to ruin it again. We don't have any money, not a single credit. In fact we don't have anything except a little food and clothing."

"That's a problem indeed. But… I still have my dresses and gowns and jewellery. Do you think I could sell it or exchange it for other stuff ?" she suggested.

"Well… I'm sure you would be successful selling your clothes. Your stuff must have been pretty expensive. But are you sure about giving it away ? It's all that's left of…"

"My life, I know. But honestly, do I really need a senator's robe out here ? I mean… It's not only impractical, it's also useless and inappropriate. This is a desert planet. I should rather dress like… I don't know… more like you." Padmé threw in another argument. Obi-Wan had to agree.

"Basically, you're right. But… why don't you keep at least one dress. Maybe you're favourite one. Who knows, maybe you have to dress up once in a while." he said slightly smiling.

"That is a deal. I'm keeping one."

"And… concerning my outfit… I think I've got something for you." Obi-Wan kneeled down and searched his bag. A few moments later, he put out a piece of clothing.

"What's this ?" she asked.

"It's a Jedi robe. It used to be mine when I was younger. I don't know why I kept it for such a long time. Maybe because such a robe is one of the few things a Jedi is allowed to keep. You never know when you need of a piece of cloth… Whatever… It's the best thing to wear on a desert planet. Protects you from the sand, you don't catch anyone's attention, you're almost invisible wearing this robe." he explained. Padmé was deeply touched. She knew that possession was not allowed to the Jedi. And he gave one of the very few things he was allowed to have, to her. She looked at the robe with brightly shining eyes, gently touched it as if it was the most beautiful treasure she had ever seen.

"It's wonderful, Obi-Wan… Thank you." she whispered, looking at him gratefully.

"You're welcome." he replied.

"I'll try it on right away." she returned and started to untie the string that was wrapped around the robe.

"Padmé… just wait a second." Obi-Wan interrupted her.

"What ?"

"You… you don't have to act so strong." he began, walking over to her.

"I'm not acting anything, Obi-Wan." she answered kind of confused. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her sadly.

"Then how come it was so easy for you to give Luke away ? I mean… I would have understood if you cried, everyone would have understood."

"Hmmm. It was not easy for me to give him to Beru. It wasn't easy at all. But I had at least a couple of days to spend with him. And he is still on the same planet as I am. Leia on the other hand… She is somewhere far away in the Alderaan system. I'll see Luke grow up, but I'm not sure if I'll ever see Leia again. Moreover, I felt that it was right. I don't know how to explain this but… when I gave Luke to Beru, it was as if an invisible hand wiped my tears away and put a smile on my face. I was able to let go. Look, Obi-Wan, I decided to live. I decided to walk this path with you. This is an opportunity, a new beginning. We have to make sacrifices. But I learned that it's better this way. It's not like they're dead. They live. And they will be alright. That's the most important thing. " Padmé tried to explain. Her voice did not sound sad at all, quite the reverse, it sounded happy and contentedly.

"These are the ways of the Force…" Obi-Wan said softly and embraced her strongly.

_Life is a road and I wanna keep going_

_Love is a river I want to keep flowing_

_Life is a road now and forever_

_Wonderful journey_

_I'll be there when the world stops turning_

_I'll be there when the storm is through_

_In the end I wanna be standing at the beginning with you_

_To Be Continued…_


	7. The Apparition

A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long to update but there was no time to write. Had a lot of stuff to do (university and so on…). Hope you like the chapter. I think it's really romantic and there's lots of Obidala in it this time. Njoy !

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. It's all George's… etc.

Lyrics: Bryan Adams feat. Sarah McLachlan, "Don't Let Go" (taken from the "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" OST)

_The Apparition _

Padmé had already begun to fill the closet in the bedroom with clothes, although there was not very much she could put in there. Only a few simple suits, three pairs of different shoes, the one dress she had promised to keep and the Jedi robe Obi-Wan had given to her. When she looked at it, she still had to laugh silently. She could not imagine being capable of using the Force. But something within her told her, that it was not that unbelievable. She had experienced the ways of the Force more than once, she had felt it, heard it, even seen it. And most importantly, it was the only thing that was left of her children. The Force would always connect them, remind her of them. And she could already feel the bond between her and Obi-Wan. A bond that was created and held together by the Force. And it would be strengthened by the Force, as soon as she understood what it was all about. Suddenly, she did not find it so strange anymore to become something like a Jedi.

Obi-Wan was in the small kitchen, trying to prepare some food for diner. Unfortunately, they only had a bread and some fruits, and Obi-Wan came to the conclusion, that even if he was a great cook – which he was definitely not – he would not be able to make a gala menu out of this. At least he tried to make it look nice. He cut the bread into little stripes and draped a piece of fruit on each of it. He put the food on one of the plates he had found on the cupboard above the table, took two wooden cups and filled them with water. Finally he placed three almost completely burned down white candles on the table and thought that this looked not too bad.

A quiet laughter shook Obi-Wan out of his thoughts. When he looked up, he saw Padmé standing in the doorway, grinning all over her beautiful face.

She wore the Jedi robe he had given to her and she definitely looked gorgeous in it although it was not exactly her size. Her hair looked wonderful when she wore it open like this. No complicated styles, no crowns, no decoration. It just fell over her back and reached her slender hips.

"You... look... beautiful." he stuttered.

"You think ? There's no mirror in this house so I couldn't see it by now."

"No, really, I'm serious. It's perfect."

"Thank you. What are you doing here ?"

"Ah... cooking. Well, something like that." he said a bit embarrassed.

"Cooking, huh ? Sounds great, I could eat a whole bantha." Padmé returned, still grinning. Obi-Wan pushed one of the wooden chairs back.

"Milady… Please take a seat !" he said formally.

"Thank you, Sir." Padmé replied and sat down.

"I'm sorry, bantha is out today but…I recommend our speciality: Some delicious stripes of bread and Nubian fruits." he showed her the plate with the little food on it and put it on the table. Of course there was not one single Nubian fruit on it, these were all fruits from the Lars' farm. And the bread also started to become hard. But Padmé decided to imagine that this was the most delicious food she had ever had. She imagined them sitting on a balcony in the Theed Palace on Naboo. The stars shining down on them, a gently blowing wind covering their skin, listening to the sound of the Naboo rivers below.

"You're daydreaming." Obi-Wan mentioned, shaking her out of her thoughts. Padmé took a deep breath and nodded.

"I imagine us being on Naboo instead of here. Obi-Wan… listen… listen closely… Can you hear the rivers flow ? Can you hear the birds sing their lively song only for us ? I can…" she whispered. He touched her hand tenderly and closed his eyes.

"Yes, I can hear it, too." he answered after a short moment of silence.

"Would you dance with me, Master Jedi ?" she suddenly asked.

"Dance ? I can't… I mean…" Obi-Wan stuttered nervously.

"It would mean a lot to me…" Padmé added and when he looked at her deep brown eyes, which were almost begging him, he just could not refuse her that favour.

Obi-Wan took her right hand in his and wrapped his arm around her waist while Padmé leaned her head against his chest, listening to his slow and regular heartbeat, as the imaginary birds' song echoed in their minds.

_I can't believe this moment's come_

_It's so incredible that we're alone_

_There's so much to be said and done_

_It's impossible not to be overcome_

_Will you forgive me if I feel this way_

_Cos we've just met – tell me that's ok_

_So take this feeling – make it grow_

_Never let it, never let it go_

_Don't let go (you give me something that I can believe in)_

_Don't let go of this moment in time_

_Don't let go (I can't explain the things that I'm feelin')_

_Don't let go (no I won't let go)_

_No would you mind if I bared my soul _

_(I bare my soul to you)_

_If I came right out and said "You're beautiful"_

_Cos there's somethin' here I can't explain_

_I feel I'm divin' into driving rain_

_You get my senses running wild_

_I can't resist your sweet, sweet smile_

_So take this feeling – make it grow_

_Never let it, never let it go_

_I've been waitin' all my life_

_To make this moment feel so right_

_The feel of you just fills the night_

_So c'mon – just hold on tight… _

Padmé slowly opened her eyes when she felt the first rays of the sun touching her face. Lying under a couple of old blankets, she stretched herself with enjoyment and straightened up in the bed. The night had been pretty cold, as every night on Tattooine was. But unfortunately, there had been nothing they could have used to turn a fire on, so they had to sleep in their clothes. At first, Obi-Wan had suggested that Padmé should sleep in the bed alone. But she had found that it was more that big enough for two people. In the end, they had fallen asleep lying side by side innocently, keeping one another warm.

"Good morning, Milady." she heard someone say and then saw Obi-Wan standing in the doorway.

"Morning, Master Jedi." she returned.

"What do you think about 'shopping' ?" he asked with a big grin. Padmé's face lit up immediately.

"Hm. I thought you would react like this." he said smiling.

"We're we going ?" she asked yawning.

"Well, Mos Espa is pretty near. And if you hurry up, we'll be there in an hour." Obi-Wan replied.

Padmé remembered Mos Espa. They had met Anakin there for the first time. It had been his home for quite a long time. And she had been there with him to search for his mother at the beginning of the Clone Wars, shortly before they had gotten married. These memories made her a little sad when they arrived at the bazaar in the center of the community. Yesterday, she had felt free from her thoughts and feelings for Anakin. But today, she realized once more that she would need more than a few days to get over everything. She looked over to Obi-Wan who was talking to a weird looking creature. Padmé enjoyed his company and needed his comfort. She needed him, more than anything else, and she was aware of that.

_But first, I have to learn how to let go_… she said quietly to herself.

"It would be a pleasure to take care of our landspeeder and it's no problem if we pay you later." Obi-Wan said to the creature and waved his hand slightly.

"It would be a pleasure to take care of your speeder, and you can pay me when you return." the creature answered.

"Thank you." Obi-Wan replied and turned to Padmé.

"You used a Jedi trick, didn't you ?" Padmé asked as they were walking over to the bazaar.

"Maybe." he returned shortly.

"I thought you weren't allowed to use the Force for personal gain."

"Well, it's not exactly for personal gain. I _will_ pay him when we return, it's just that we don't have any money at the moment. And besides, I tried to convince him without the trick first. But you still remember that most of the people living here are not very cooperative, don't you ?" Obi-Wan explained grinning.

Padmé's gowns had been very popular on the bazaar. They brought so much money in, that she could have bought twice more stuff than she had needed. But instead, she only got two dozen of white and red candles, a couple of new blankets and pillows, a few drapes to put in front of the windows, and a wonderful, soft carpet, coloured in a warm red. Moreover, she bought a few bits and pieces like for example some plants, sheets of paper and paint. Obi-Wan on the other hand had gotten food for the next two weeks and some logs for the fireplace.

They had spent nearly the whole day in Mos Espa, and the setting of the twin suns dived the desert landscape into a mixture of red, yellow and orange. After they had carried their new things into the cabin, Obi-Wan and Padmé stood outside and watched the beautiful scenery.

"This looks awesome." she said with a calm voice. Obi-Wan nodded approvingly.

"Yes. Who would have thought that a place like Tattooine could have such bright and colourful sun settings ?" he answered, looking at her. And for the first time since they had arrived on the planet, he smiled contentedly.

"I'm tired," she interrupted the silence, "I'm going to sleep."

"OK, I'll be with you in a few minutes. I just want to do my meditation exercises." Obi-Wan returned softly and placed a kiss on her forehead. He watched her as she was entering the cabin and wondered how she could always move so gracefully, even when she was just walking, waving her hand or turning around. She always looked perfect, no matter what she did. He slowly started to feel comfortable with the whole situation – not because of the nice sun setting – but because of her presence that made everything appear so much better. He still felt terribly guilty because of what had happened to his apprentice, but the wound started to heal over, and she was part of the cure.

Obi-Wan had meditated on his thoughts for quite a while, when suddenly a cool, fresh wind blew into his face. Then there was the Force surrounding him. It felt as if it almost touched him. Although Obi-Wan had been meditating every single day since he had been a padawan learner, he had never felt the Force so strong and so close to him.

"It has been a long time since then, padawan." a familiar voice behind him said. Obi-Wan opened his eyes, got up from the ground and turned around. In front of him, he saw the apparition of a long lost friend, a Jedi, a father.

"Master…" Obi-Wan murmured disbelievingly.

"Why are you so surprised ? I thought Yoda had told you…" the older man said smiling.

"Um… yes, he told me but… I just didn't expect this right now." he answered stuttering.

"Hm. You have questions, padawan." Qui-Gon mentioned. Obi-Wan looked at him a bit embarrassed.

"Questions… Hm. I don't know if they're questions. I have feelings for her, Master."

"I know." the apparition returned.

"I shouldn't have these feelings. I am a Jedi."

"Listen, Obi-Wan, in the end, we're all human. And humans have feeling, otherwise we were not human at all."

"She is Anakin's wife…"

"Anakin is not Anakin anymore. Is he here to comfort her ? Does he take care of her ? No, because his lust for power has defeated his love for her. You still blame yourself for his fall, but it was his decision to accept the new name, it was his decision to kill in the name of the Sith."

"I love her… And a Jedi shall not know love…" Obi-Wan admitted.

"Don't expect me to forbid you love, but I can tell you this: I regret not to have spent more time with Tahl back then. But I don't regret the few moments that we had. You've been given something wonderful: Feelings for a woman, who loves you in return. Don't let go of this. What you two have is so rare…" Qui-Gon's ghost said. Obi-Wan nodded and for a couple of moments they remained silent, standing beside each other and watching the night covering Tattooine with its dark and starry blanket.

When he entered the bedroom, he found Padmé sleeping peacefully, looking like an angel. He lay down beside her, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. And while falling asleep, he hoped that she would be in his dreams…

_To be continued…_


	8. The Searcher

A/N: Hope you like the new chappi. I'm trying to make this story a little more thrilling. Well, OK, it is a romance in the first place, so don't expect too much. But I know why you read this stuff anyways: You want Obidala ! Yeah ! Now Njoy !

PS: I'm so sorry for the poor explanation for the "Ben"-thing, but I could not think of anything else... I feel soooo stupid about it :-( Hope you still like the story.

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars_...

_The Searcher_

A few weeks had passed since their arrival on Tattooine. In the meantime, Padmé had made a great job in decorating their homestead. It was still not the Theed Palace, but it was now much more comfortable. The small, lonely cabin in the mountains had become a very nice place to stay, even Obi-Wan had to admit that.

It was very early in the morning when they both sat in the kitchen having breakfast. They did not say much, but in fact, they did not have to say anything to understand each other. They just enjoyed not be alone and that this was almost an everyday life, without any dramas, tragedies or adventures.

"I need to go to Mos Espa today. We have no more logs and not much food left." Obi-Wan mentioned.

"That's OK. I'm going to stay here then." she returned and raised the coffee cup to her lips.

"That is what I was about to suggest. You know, the weather looks instable. I sense a sandstorm coming up, so I'd better hurry up." he said and got up his chair. Padmé followed him quickly to the bedroom.

"You have to leave already ?" she asked while he was putting on his robe.

"I'm afraid, yes. I want to be back before the storm is gathering." he answered and hurried to the front door.

"So be careful then…" Padmé said worriedly. Obi-Wan gently touched her shoulder and smiled at her.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine." he reassured her and opened the door to leave. She stood there watching him for a few seconds, praying silently that he would be back in time.

"Ben !" she suddenly called out his new given name. He turned around once more and met her eyes. She had given him the name in her dreams and when she had woken up, she had looked at him and called him Ben. Since then, he had been known as Ben Kenobi, wherever he had gone. He loved the name because she had given it to him. And besides, it was much safer not to go by your real name when you were a Jedi these times, although the Empire paid very little attention to Tattooine.

"May the Force be with you !" she shouted, then she went back into the house and closed the door.

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"Thank you, Mai Lae, you definitely sell the best wood all over Mos Espa." the Jedi said to the creature behind the counter of the little shop. Mai Lae looked pretty much like an elephant that was walking upright on two legs. She had a little store in the center of the community where one could get almost all kinds of wood. This raw material was very rare on Tattooine because there was actually no forest so she had to import it. She was a nice old lady and whenever Obi-Wan went to buy more wood, they had a little conversation.

"Ya welcome, Ben. Always a pleasure to have ya here." Mai Lae returned while she helped Obi-Wan carry the wood to his speeder.

"I'll see you next week, Mai." he said and left.

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She was standing behind the store and waited, covering her face with the hood of the robe she was wearing. When she thought that it would be alright, she stepped into the light and entered Mai Lae's store.

"Exucse me ?" she said.

"What's da matter, honey ?" Mai Lae wanted to know.

"The man who's just left this shop… Do you know him ?" the mysterious female voice asked.

"That depends on who's asking, ya know ?" the elephant lady returned sharply.

"I'm a friend… a searcher… You know, I'm searchin' for someone who is very important to me. He might be… family. And it could possibly be the man that has just left your store." she answered and revealed her face smiling. She was a very beautiful girl at the age of seventeen. Her hair was coloured in a weird mixture of black, blue and green and furthermore, it was pretty long on the left and rather short on the right side. Her eyes were from the deepest blue and the darkest black that Mai Lae had ever seen in her life. There was moreover a tribal tattoo covering a part of her face. It ran from the left side of her forehead to the eye, and then down her cheek. She seemed mysterious but harmless. She was just a girl.

"Hmm. Nah that looks a hell of a lot betta. But I'm afraid, I dunno so much about him. His name's Ben and he's comin' here once a week to get some stuff, ya know." Mai told her.

"Well, that's more than nothing. Thank you very much." she replied and disappeared as quick as she had come.

Outside the shop, she recovered her head and tried to find the Jedi again. But there were so many people around her that she could not make him out anywhere.

"Dammit, I lost him." she cursed with an annoyed face expression.

"Just because you can't see him anymore that doesn't mean you lost him" a wise voice answered in her head.

"Yeah… And what am I gonna do now ? I mean… All I know is a name… Ben. And who knows if that lady spoke the truth. Maybe she was lying to me."

"Focus on your feelings." the voice once more spoke to her.

"Oh, I shoulda known you start that again. maybe he was not even a Jedi, what the hell should I focus on ? Please, gimme something' I can work with, Master." she kept on complaining.

"Still a lot to learn out there, my very young padawan. Search your feelings, focus on them. Focus on the Force, it will lead you." the voice said.

"What if the Force is lazy today and leads me nowhere ?" she questioned. But there was no answer.

"Master ? Damn, I hate it when you do that." she said, well knowing that he was still listening.

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Padmé's Force abilities had grown since she was meditating every day. She sat on the carpet in the living room hat was lightened by a few candles. Her eyes closed, she breathed regularly in and out, focussed on her feelings and let go of everything around her. Then she felt the Force all over her, talking to her in riddles which she even able to understand sometimes. The Force itself confronted her with the past and gave her solutions how to deal with it, and every now and then, she had visions, mostly when she thought of Obi-Wan. She was not always sure if these visions were about the past, present or future but she somehow knew that they crossed her mind because of the bond between her and the Jedi.

Padmé thought that she would never be what she called 'a typical Jedi' like Obi-Wan. She would never be a great fighter, could not imagine herself holding a lightsaber in her hands. She would use her Force powers in a more passive way. She would meditate on certain things, find answers and solutions in the Force.

Just as she was thinking about that, strange pictures ran through her head like a movie.

The desert. Obi-Wan. A storm. Darkness.

_Ben ! _she yelled through the Force, her body shaking with fear.

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_Ben ! _he heard Padmé's voice echoing in his mind as he was trying to open his eyes. But whenever he tried, he felt a fistful of sand blowing into his face, so he decided to keep them closed and let the Force lead him home. He was in the middle of the heavy sandstorm he had foreseen. It was hard to take a step forward while the wind was blowing incessantly into all directions, even with the speeder. He breathed heavily and every single bone in his body was aching. Although he tried to save as much energy as possible, he could not say how much longer he could go on. But he just had to keep going. Because of Padmé, who was probably sitting at home and worried to death, but also because he sensed someone else's presence. Someone was following him since he had left the community. And he did not know if that was good or bad for him. Once more he heard Padmé call out his name. With all of his strength he focussed on her and told her that he was alright. Then hetried to move on…

_To Be Continued..._


	9. Back From The Storm

A/N: Now who could be the stranger ? I know ! And you'll find out…. Now enough, read & Njoy ! 

PS: Again, I'm sorry it took me a whole week to update but I'm pretty busy these days, so I hope you forgive me.

_Back From The Storm_

Obi-Wan's eyes hurt from the sand that was covering them. Sweat was dripping off his face and his throat felt as dry as the air that he was breathing. As if that wasn't already enough, he also had to push the landspeeder because it had gone out of energy. He did not see anything but he knew that he must be somewhere near the cabin. Somewhere near to Padmé. Her presence was so close to him, that he could almost breathe it in. Her warmth embraced him gently and her soft voice whispered words of relief into his ear. Every single second that she spent thinking of him made him feel better and stronger, and the sandstorm seem so ridiculous.

The twin suns were already setting when Obi-Wan finally reached the cabin in the mountains. His arms were deaf and every bone inside his aching body seemed to weigh a ton. He could not remember when he had felt so weak and horrible for the last time. But the main thing was that he made it. He made it back home and he was still alive. And all because of her.

Out of breath and coughing, he entered the house, where Padmé had been waiting for him and was now falling into his arms, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Ben ! I'm so glad you're alright !" she whispered as she was hugging him tightly.

"I heard you calling me through the Force." he replied quietly.

"And I heard your answer." she said and smiled at him happily. As she let go of him, she had to grin a little bit.

"What ?" Obi-Wan looked at her kind of confused.

"It's just… your so full of sand… You look almost like a mummy !" she giggled.

"Ah, a mummy. Yeah… Only two seconds ago, you fell into my arms almost crying and now you're making fun of me ! You're so cruel, Padmé !" he returned, pretending to be deeply hurt by her words. And his acting skills were definitely not bad.

"Oh, Ben, I'm sorry ! I didn't mean to…" she started but before she was able to finish the sentence, Obi-Wan laughed out loudly.

"You've fallen for it !"

"You bastard !" Padmé shouted, her hand beating against his chest until his legs suddenly gave in and he fell down on to the ground.

"Ben ! You alright ?" Padmé asked worriedly and knelt down beside him.

"Yes. It's just… I'm tired and everything hurts. I think I just need some rest… and a shower.." he said coughing while Padmé was helping him to get up again.

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"There you go, Master ! A damn sandstorm !" the girl complained while spitting out a little bit of sand. She had been following Obi-Wan's traces which he had left in the Force. Led by her feelings, she heard him cough and moan, and she heard someone calling out his name.

"Force, this is so disgusting ! I shoulda known it better. Dammit, I live here on this forsaken planet, and I know how dangerous these storms are. Why the hell is everyone taught not to go outside when such a storm's gathering ? Because everything in your mouth tastes sandy, because your clothes are covered with sand completely and because you cannot take one single step forward without the damn sand blowing into your eyes. And now, Master, explain to me why I ignored all of this to follow that guy into the deepest desert ?" she shouted.

"Calm down, padawan, and shut up ! Why do you think your mouth is full of sand ? It's because you just can't stop talking and complaining about the situation. Now concentrate on the Force." the wise voice of her invisible Master answered sharply.

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While Obi-Wan was in the bathroom washing the sand off his tired body, Padmé sat on the wooden bench in the living room in front of a canvas, holding a brush in her right hand. She was painting a picture, using cool and refreshing colours that reminded her of Naboo. Padmé had started to paint a while ago. It was a kind of therapy for her. Whenever she felt uneasy, sad or weak, she painted a picture. Somehow it was also sort of meditation exercise because she kept her eyes closed whenever she took the brush in her hand. Only the Force led her moves with the brush, only the Force drew the pictures from her mind. And sometimes, she did not even really hold the brush. It just moved the way it should move.

Padmé was lost in her painting when a sudden knock on the door shook her out of her thoughts. She put the brush aside and went to the door to open it. As soon as she had moved the handle, someone charged into the house and slammed the door quickly. Breathing heavily, the person sat down on the wooden bench in front of the fireplace, leaving Padmé standing in front of the door, mouth opened and shocked.

Padmé went over to the person who was wearing clothes that were pretty similar to hers and Obi-Wan's. Her head was covered by the hood of a black Jedi robe, so Padmé could only have a look at the streak of bluish hair that fell over half of her face. She looked at her in amazement and also in shock for quite a while, then she suddenly opened her mouth.

"Ah… excuse me ?" Padmé began. The person raised her head and looked straight into Padmé's eyes.

"What are you doing here ? And who are you ?"

She coughed twice, then got up and finally revealed her face completely. It was a human face with a strange tattoo on its left side and perfectly blue eyes. At first their look was kind of gloomy but then her face expression turned into a grateful smile.

"Thank you for opening the door. I thought I would die out there in that damn storm. You saved me, so thanks a lot." a friendly voice said.

"You're welcome. But you actually didn't answer my questions." Padmé returned impatiently.

"Well, long story short… I was searching for someone and then there was that bloody sandstorm and I got lost or… whatever. I saw your house and thought I could probably stay here until the storm's over." she tried to explain.

"And… uh, my name's Shayariel." she added and offered her right hand.

"I'm Padmé, nice to meet you, Shayariel..."

_To Be Continued_


	10. Shayariel

A/N: There you go, a chappi about the Shayariel character. She'll play an important part when it comes to Obi-Wan's and Padmé's relationship. And don't be afraid, she's not gonna take Ben away from Padmé…

_Shayariel_

„So you got lost in the storm, huh ?" Padmé inquired. Shayariel nodded while drinking the water Padmé had offered her.

"And you are looking for someone, right ?"

"Hmmm. Yeah." she answered shortly and put the cup aside.

"And that someone lives out here in the desert ?" Padmé did not know why but she somehow did not trust the girl.

"Well, actually I don't know. I just had a feeling, you know ?"

"I understand."

_Weird girl. There's something she doesn't tell me. I feel it. _Padmé thought to herself.

"And you live here on Tattooine ?" she kept asking questions.

"Yep. Means, I'm not born here but I've lived here since I was a little child."

_Well, then you should've known that one doesn't go out when a storm is gathering. _Padmé told herself, not realizing that Shayariel sensed her distrust.

"I was a slave." she just added. When Padmé heard the word 'slave' coming out of her mouth she suddenly had sympathy for her. She had to think of Anakin, when he had been a little boy, a slave, on Tattooine and how they had freed him.

"I'm sorry." she said quietly.

"Nah, you don't have to be. Look, I was lucky because my owner was a very nice old lady. She was a very good person, treated me like her own grandchild. I actually never had to work for her, I worked with her. We helped each other. You know, I was alone, she was alone. We became pretty good friends. You see it's not always bad to be a slave." Shayariel explained.

"It's just… Nothing. I'm happy for you." Padmé replied and tried to smile.

"Yeah, sure." she returned with sarcasm dripping off her young voice.

"Huh ?"

"From the second that I entered this cabin, I've sensed your distrust of me. You think I'm evil." she said.

"What ? No, I don't think you're evil… I just… have a bad feeling… about this, I guess…" Padmé stuttered and took a seat next to Shayariel.

"So you don't trust me ?" she wanted to know. Padmé responded with a nod.

"Not exactly."

"Yeah, I understand. I mean, yeah, you don't know me, we've just met and I fell in here like a tornado. I apologize. I think I'm gonna leave as soon as the storm's over. But… ahm… One question… Do you know someone named Ben ? Tall man with a beard, uhm…"

"Why do you wanna know ?" Padmé asked while getting up again and moving slowly towards the bathroom.

"Because he's the one I'm looking for." Padmé swallowed and stood there for a few second as if she was frozen stiff.

_What do you want from him ? I knew I couldn't trust you. Force, Ben ! I need you right now ! I think we have a little black-haired problem here…_

Right after she had thought it to an end, she heard the sound of an activating lightsaber behind herself and turned around. It was Obi-Wan, holding his Jedi weapon in both of his hands and pointed it towards Shayariel.

"Hey, guys, calm down ! I'm not your enemy !" she tried to convince him, but Obi-Wan did not move.

"Who are you ?" he asked sharply.

"Shayariel."

"And what are you doing here ?"

"Ah, for cryin' out loud, I got lost in the damn bloody sandstorm ! Listen, buddy, this would be a lot easier if you'd lay down your saber." she shouted at him desperately.

"Why don't you just start telling us what you expect to find here ?" Obi-Wan kept asking.

"Dammit, Master, I tried it ! But you know how impatient I am…" she whispered. "Wanna fight ? Huh ? Then two can play that game !" she grinned, pulled out her own lightsaber and turned on the purple blade. With an acrobatic movement, she leaped towards Obi-Wan and met his blade with hers.

"Who the hell are you ?" Obi-Wan asked once more, but this time his voice sounded more amazed and confused.

"I'm a Jedi. And obviously, you are a Jedi, too." she returned and deactivated her lightsaber. Obi-Wan had to sit down. Another Jedi who survived. This could not be possible.

"How… ? I mean, how could you survive ? Many of us died… Nearly all of us…" he said shaking his head.

"Now that's probably the simplest answer I can give you: I was here. And who the hell cares about Tattooine ? It may sound ridiculous but right now it's the safest place for a Jedi." she replied.

"Apparently." Obi-Wan murmured, his eyes looking into nowhere. Now he could hear the Force whispering her name into his mind and he sensed that she spoke nothing but the truth. It made him feel horrible that he had been threatening her with his lightsaber. Padmé felt his distress and gently touched his shoulder.

"Ben, are you OK ?" she asked with a soft voice. He looked at her and tried a slight smile.

"Yes. I'm just a little confused, that's all. Don't worry." he said, laying his hand on hers. Shayariel watched them carefully and was deeply touched by the way they talked to each other and how they looked into each other's eyes. She sensed the bond between them and that they must have gone through tough times together.

"So… You're Ben, huh ?" she interrupted the silence.

"I'm known as Ben here on Tattooine. But my real name's actually Obi-Wan Kenobi." he replied, now in a more friendly way. The name echoed in Shayariel's mind over and over again. She repeated it several times, trying to find out where she had heard it before. It sounded somehow familiar.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi… Obi-Wan Ke… Oh my gosh ! You are Obi-Wan Kenobi !" she inquired once more. He responded with a nod.

"You were Qui-Gon's padawan…" she murmured. Obi-Wan stared at her in shock.

"Qui-Gon ? You know… uhm… knew Master Qui-Gon ?" he wanted to know, his eyes wide opened.

"Knew ? Dammit, I know this guy pretty well." she answered laughing.

"Then you should know that he's pretty dead." Obi-Wan returned.

"Yeah, he's dead, but he keeps talking to me like a waterfall." she said smiling.

"And can you see him ?" the Jedi questioned.

"Sometimes. But he prefers to stay invisible. What about you ? Have you seen him since he has returned from the netherworld ?" Obi-Wan nodded.

"Yeah, once."

"Hmmm. Wait a minute… That means, that he's known you're a Jedi because you were his padawan learner a long time ago. And he's already been here. Still he was so nice to send me out into this damn sandstorm. ! Think I gotta talk to a certain someone about certain things that Jedi Masters shouldn't do to their apprentices…" she murmured angrily.

"There are some things in this galaxy that you have to figure out by yourself, padawan. I cannot always be there to tell you what you should do. Being a Jedi means not to follow your Master and do whatever he does. The aim of this was that you learn how to use the Force in a dangerous and uncomfortable situation. And as I see, you did it. Congratulations !" Qui-Gon's ghostly physical self spoke as he appeared in a bright blue light.

"Master Qui-Gon ! Good to see you again !" Obi-Wan greeted and bowed to him. Beside him was Padmé, mouth opened, staring at the apparition.

"Master Jedi… How is this possible ?" she murmured, looking at him in amazement.

"Lady Padmé, by now you should know that the Force has many wonderful ways to reveal itself to us." Padmé smiled happily. It felt great to see an old and wise friend again after such a long time. She had believed him dead and now he was standing right in front of her, talking to her. If even the dead ones can return from the netherworld of the Force, if such a miracle was possible, then there must be hope for the galaxy.

"And she is your padawan learner now ?" Obi-Wan asked. The ghost nodded.

"Yes. I apologize for her… well… sometimes inappropriate behaviour and way of speaking. She's still so young and has a lot of things to learn."

"Nah, that's got nothin' to do with it, I just can't force myself to talk like an old man – no offence to you Ben. You're not old… You maybe just had something I did not have… Something like… what was the word again ? Oh yeah, education… I mean, I'm not stupid, quite the reverse, Qui-Gon thinks I'm pretty smart. I'm just not good with other people. Conversation has never been a strength of mine." she explained. Obi-Wan and Padmé had to grin.

"Apologies accepted, Shayariel. Now tell me, how come that you became his learner ?" Obi-Wan wanted to know.

"Hmmm. Let me think… Oh yes, that's quite a story to tell…"

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_About six years ago…_

The old lady who had owned Shayariel was gone. Dead. Shayariel was free now and could actually do whatever she wanted to do. She was now the owner of a little apartment in Mos Espa and a little money that she had inherited from the old lady. The only thing that was bothering her was that she was all alone. There were no friends, no family, no one. She only had herself and that was scaring her to death. Only at night, when she was sleeping, she found some relief and peace. It was weird because she used to dream about a family, friends and even something like a father. She dreamed of brothers and sisters and they were all connected in a supernatural way. At first she just considered them dreams, but later on, she found out that she was in possession of some very special powers. Whenever she focussed strongly on a thing, she could move it without touching it. She was able to hear other people's feelings and sensed their intentions. Shayariel was confused by these powers but somehow she was also fascinated and tried to find out more about them. Finally she read something about the so-called Jedi Order, about people with the same powers like herself who fought for peace and justice in the galaxy.

_A Jedi. I want to be a Jedi. _she thought every night before she fell asleep.

One night, she was lying awake, thinking once more about the Jedi religion and how badly she wanted to be part of it. She was lying under a couple of blankets in her bed, staring at the white ceiling as a harsh light began to dive the room into a blue colour. She straightened up and opened her eyes slowly. At first she could not see anything because her eyes seemed to be blinded by the light. But after a few moments, she was looking at the apparition of a long-haired, bearded man wearing a formal robe, just like the Jedi on the pictures in one of the books she had read about the Jedi Order.

"What the bloody hell…" she murmured. No answer.

"Ah, excuse me ? What are you doin' here ? Hello ? Mister ? What are you doin' in my bedroom in the middle of the night, huh ?" she shouted.

"Are you talking to me ?" the man eventually answered.

"No, I'm talking to the other guy standing right beside you… Of course I'm talking to you. See anyone else shining like a neon lamp in this room ? I don't." she returned sarcastically.

"That means you can see me."

"Are you kidding ? You're almost blinding me with this light around you. Could you please turn it off ?" she said roughly.

"I'm afraid I can't." the man replied.

"Now back to my question, what do you want from me ?" she kept asking.

"No, the question is what do you want from me ?"

"Huh ?"

"Well, I would not be here if you didn't call me. You wouldn't be able to see me if you weren't Force sensitive." he tried to explain to her.

"You're a Jedi, aren't you ?" she inquired.

"Ah… not exactly. I _was_ a Jedi. But in fact I died a long time ago. Seems as if you have brought me back from… the nether world of the Force…"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is that a bad thing ?"

"No. It was the will of the living Force. That means this cannot be a bad thing. My name is Qui-Gonn Jinn." the ghost introduced himself.

"I'm Shayariel Soleil and I want to become a Jedi."

_To Be Continued…_


	11. Empathy

A/N: I know I haven't updated for 4 weeks. But I think you all know these moment when you just don't know how your story should continue. I'm really sorry and hope you'll be satisfied with this. You'll see, Shayariel will play an important part when it comes to Ben's and Padmé's relationship. Njoy !

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars…

_Empathy_

They were all sitting in the living room, listening to Shayariel's stories laughing loudly. She told them how she had met Qui-Gon and about her first visit at the Jedi temple, as well as the adventures that she and the ghostly apparition had gone through. It was the first time they had visitors since they had arrived on Tattooine and it felt good to hear other voices and laughter filling the house. And Shayariel was glad to have found what was left of her family – the Jedi – Obi-Wan and Padmé. Although they had had a difficult start, she now already felt very close to them and called them her friends. And it felt damn good to have friends.

_Friendship. Joy. Happiness. The end of loneliness._

It had gotten late and the darkness of the night covered the endless desert landscape around the little cabin in the mountains.

"Why don't you stay here with us over night ? I mean, you don't really want to go out into the desert again when it's so dark that you might get lost in the endless blackness." Padmé suddenly suggested to Shayariel. Her face lit up and she started to smile happily. No one had ever been this friendly to her, except Qui-Gon. But Qui-Gon was actually dead so he was in a different category.

"I think Padmé is right. The desert is already dangerous at daytime. Stay with us for a while, we'd be pleased." Obi-Wan added.

"Well, I actually have no choice, have I ?" she replied.

"Alright then it's done. Ah… Padmé ?" Obi-Wan called out her name and gently touched her shoulders when she turned around to him.

_Affection. Warmth. Love._

"Huh ?"

"I think we have some stuff to do…" he said, looking on to the mountains of dishes that were standing on the table. The way Padmé smiled back at Obi-Wan sent a warm and comforting emotion to Shayariel's mind. But at the same time, she felt a sharp pain in her heart.

_Longing. Heartache. Tragedy. _

"Nothing that I'd like to do now, but it has to be done. Shayariel, Master Qui-Gon, we'll be back in a few minutes." She said into their direction and started to collect the plates and cups from the table.

"Ah, never mind. I have to do some meditation anyway, so… I'll go outside and enjoy the fresh breeze of the Tattooine desert." Shayariel said sarcastically and got up from her seat, followed by Qui-Gon's apparition.

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She was sitting on the cold ground, staring at the dark sky. Qui-Gon did not have to reach out to the Force to see that she was lost in her thoughts about something she just could not erase from her mind.

"You're not meditating, are you ?" he asked carefully.

"No, Master."

"Then what's bothering you ?"

"Nothing. There's just something that I don't understand." She replied and looked at him.

"Tell me."

"C'mon, I know that you know already." She answered.

"You're thinking about Obi-Wan and Padmé." He revealed her thoughts. Shayariel nodded.

"See, I just don't get it. Why are they trying to hide their feelings ? I mean… It doesn't make any sense."

"What kind of feelings are you talking about ?" Qui-Gon inquired.

"Oh Master ! Please ! You're a Jedi who's one with the Force. You can't tell me that you didn't sense the tension between them. For cryin' out loud, the whole house is filled with their thoughts, their longings, and their feelings for each other. And there are a million unspoken 'I love Yous' written on the walls. Their feelings are nearly visible to me so don't try to pretend you had no idea !" she said impatiently.

"Padawan, calm down ! You're right, I have sensed it. Even more, I know. But I have no right to interfere." He finally gave in.

"At first, I felt so happy for them. I sensed the bond between them and the way they treat each other with so much respect and kindness. But then there was something else. Felt like someone's stabbing my heart. And somehow I saw a wall between them. What is it that makes them keep the distance ?" she wanted to know. Shayariel had always had empathic powers. But since she had started her training with Qui-Gon, they had grown and sometimes they just overcame her and she did not know how to deal with it.

"Hmmm. Now how do I start… Do you remember what I've told you about the Chosen One ?" Shayariel answered with a nod.

"He should destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force. Instead, he destroyed the Jedi and joined the Sith. His name was Anakin Skywalker. He was Obi-Wan's padawan learner… and Padmé's… Senator Amidala's husband." Qui-Gon started.

"Are you saying that Padmé used to be a galactic senator ?" Shayariel asked stunning.

"At first she was the Queen of Naboo, then she was asked to be the senator representing the planet. Anakin was obsessed with her and she didn't realize it. They got married and Padmé was pregnant with twins. Since he was aware of her pregnancy, Anakin had nightmares about her dying in childbirth. He wanted to save her, no matter what it would take, even if it meant to learn the powers of the darks side. Chancellor Palpatine knew about all of this. He seduced him. He knew that after the loss of his mother, Anakin would never be able to let go of his wife. When Anakin turned to the dark side, it almost broke Padmé's heart. But she survived because Obi-Wan was there for her. He was holding her hand during childbirth, he was giving her the strength she needed. It is true, Shayariel, they _have_ feelings for each other. They _do_ love each other, but the loss of Anakin is still lying heavily on their shoulders. It is not even a month since he has gone. They just need more time." He tried to explain the situation to Shayariel. Her face expression saddened. She felt deep sympathy for Obi-Wan and Padmé, especially for her because she had to give up her children and her husband.

"It must be killing them… To be with each other every day but still keep a distance although there is nothing in the galaxy that you'd want more than… Whatever. I didn't know that, Master. I mean… that she is… Skywalker's wife. And Ben… he lost his padawan, his friend. It's a true tragedy." She said with a trembling voice. Shayariel always seemed to be the tough girl on the outside. But deep within herself she was a vulnerable soul. Whenever she saw the misery of others, she felt it breaking down on her. It was as if she was a part of them, as if the sadness was running through each of her veins, poisoning her blood.

"It's unfair." She whimpered.

"It may be. But it's not hopeless, padawan." He answered calmly.

"How can you say that ? You don't know how they feel. You don't know how sad they are and how much they wish to be together. It is breaking my heart." She cried.

"The gift of empathy has, like any other gift, its advantages but also disadvantages. You have to learn to control it. Otherwise you will break into a million pieces. Your abilities will grow over the years. And there will be voices of people in your mind that you've never seen before. You'll go insane – sooner or later." Qui-Gon said, placing his blue shining hand on her shoulder.

To Be Continued...

(And this time it won't take me 4 or 5 weeks, promised !)


	12. A Vision, A Lesson And A Memory

_A/N: Here comes the next chappi. NJOY !_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars... etc._

_Visions, A Lesson And A Memory_

_An arrow. A blaster. A lightsaber. _

_She saw them fighting to death. Quick movements, the purple blade of the lightsaber flushing like a lightning through the night, the familiar sound of it was carried to her ears. Then, all of a sudden, one false movement, a shot from the blaster. The smell of burned flesh and the coppery taste of fresh blood started to fill the air. She was falling in slow motion. The dump sound of her back touching the ground. _

_Blackness. Death. Sadness._

Padmé woke up at dawn, breathing heavily, sweat dripping off her pale face. Obi-Wan was lying next to her, covered with a couple of blankets, sleeping peacefully. She decided not to wake him up and left the room silently. As she walked into the kitchen, she saw Shayariel sitting in the living room, staring into nothing, lost in thoughts, crying. Padmé walked over to her and shook her out of her thoughts.

"Shayariel ? You OK ?" she asked quietly.

"Yep. I was just thinkin' about some things." She answered whispering.

"You look so sad… Why are you crying ?" Padmé wanted to know.

"I… you… This is all confusing me." The girl stuttered.

"You wanna talk about it ?"

"I'd love to, but I don't know where to start…" Padmé reached out her hand and offered it to Shayariel.

"C'mon, I'll make us a cup of tea." Shayariel took Padmé's hand and followed her into the kitchen where she sat down while Padmé prepared the tea.

"Why are you awake anyway ?" she suddenly asked.

"I just had a bad dream and couldn't fall asleep again. Nothing to worry about." She lied.

"But you are worried about it." The girl corrected her. Padmé turned around and looked at her kind of confused.

"How do you know ?" she wondered.

"Hmmm. I don't know why… But somehow I sense other people's feelings. Actually I do not only sense them… I feel what they feel. Especially when they're people that I'm close to. Master Qui-Gon calls it the gift of empathy. But to be honest with you, I don't see it as a gift. To me, it sometimes is like a curse. You know, there are so many voices and feelings within myself that I can hardly tell which of them are my own. There is so much sadness in this whole galaxy and so much hatred. I just can't deal with it because I cannot control it properly." She tried to explain.

"I understand. I only can imagine what you're goin' through every day of your life."

"Well, it's actually not about me but what those whose emotions I have in my mind are goin' through." Shayariel added.

"And can't you learn how to control these powers ?" Padmé asked.

"Master Qui-Gon tries to help me but it's not easy to ignore and shut out a million voices." She returned and glanced at Padmé with a sad face expression.

"Padmé ?"

"Yes ?" Padmé answered while handing her the cup of tea. Shayariel took a deep breath.

"You love Ben, don't you ?" she asked carefully. Padmé smiled slightly and answered with a nod.

"Now that I'm aware of what's going on in your head, it wouldn't make any sense to deny it, would it ?" Shayariel shook her head.

"No, it wouldn't."

"It is true. I love Ben." She added.

"And he loves you. But you're not… I mean… you're not a couple…"

"No. I can't… I hurt him so terribly, Shayariel. I… married Anakin, his padawan. And I was pregnant with his children. It is my fault that Anakin turned to the dark side… I was a fool to believe that my love could save Anakin from falling. I was a fool to believe that our love could last I really was. I wanted a family. I wanted to be happy, was searching for… the one to be with every night. Forever. And I didn't realize that it wasn't Anakin. Ben… he has always loved me and I was with his friend. They were like brothers and he had to watch his brother fall because of me." Memories came up from Padmé's heart. Now that she was talking about Anakin and Obi-Wan to Shayariel, she started to realize how much she must have hurt her friend.

"I know your story. Qui-Gon told me what happened. But… I don't think that Ben blames you for it. Otherwise he wouldn't treat you with so much respect, nor would he care about you this way, nor would he look at you like he does all the time. Have you forgotten that he's a Jedi Master and that he is probably a lot wiser than the two of us ? He knows that it was not your fault, Padmé." She tried to reassure her.

"I know. But we're both not ready for this I think. It's only a month ago since… And… we're both not over it yet."

"You think it's treason on him… Anakin. You both think you'd have to punish yourselves because you have feelings for each other. I maybe young and maybe I still have to learn a lot, but let me tell you this one thing: If you go on like this, it will kill you one day. There will always be that one reason between you and his name is Anakin Skywalker. No matter how much time passes through. He will always be his padawan and he'll always be your husband and the father of your children. You will never be able to erase him from your hearts. I'm serious, this torture, this distance between you will break your heart for a second time. Anakin had a choice: Your love and a life with you and your babies or the powers of the dark side. I'm sorry to tell you but he decided against you and for the Sith. The man you have once known is dead. Ben on the other hand is here with you. You two are still alive. And you deserve better than torturing yourselves. I know the loss of Anakin is still haunting you, but every day you spend mourning about him is a lost day with Ben." Shayariel could see that she was really thinking about what she had just said.

"It's strange… I got to know you as such a crazy and funny girl… And now you're speaking with so much wisdom… Just like Qui-Gon. You must have learned a lot from him…" Padmé said with amazement dripping off her voice.

"You don't need wisdom to see your misery. You don't even need empathic powers to see the bond between you and Ben. The way you talk to each other, the glances you exchange… Even an old blind man could see it. And he would tell you the same things that I've just told you." The girl replied smiling. As she looked out the window, she saw the dawn coming over the desert and taking the night away.

"Look… A new day has come." She mentioned glancing at Padmé.

"Hmmm. I think I'm gonna go and improve my lightsaber skills a little bit. Wanna join me ?" she asked. Padmé put on a confused face expression.

"What do you mean ?"

"I could show you some tricks. Interested ?"

"But… I have never fought with a lightsaber, which means I don't possess one."

"Take Ben's. I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Shayariel suggested.

"I don't know… I mean… I don't think…" But before she could finish her sentence, Shayariel had sneaked into the bedroom, where Obi-Wan was still sleeping and took his lightsaber from his tunic. As she returned, she found a mouth opened Padmé standing in the kitchen shaking her head.

"I cannot believe you just did what you did…" she murmured.

"Don't think about it anymore. I mean, it's not that I stole it. I borrowed it. And now let's go outside." She returned and handed Obi-Wan's Jedi weapon to Padmé who followed her hesitatingly.

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Padmé watched each of Shayariel's moves. Her body seemed to be one with her mind and the air around her obeyed all of her orders. Like a feather in the wind, she was flying upon the sandy ground, falling down quickly until her face was only about ten centimetres above the ground. At the same time she held her purple-bladed lightsaber in her right hand and moved it precisely as if she was fighting someone. After she had showed her what the Force was able to do, Shayariel turned to Padmé again.

"C'mon, it's way easier that it looks. C'mere !" she shouted. Padmé glanced at the weapon she was holding in her hands, then she walked over to Shayariel.

"OK. Now just do what I do. Trust me, alright ? Now activate the lightsaber." Padmé nodded and just a second later, she saw the blue blade of Obi-Wan's weapon in front of her eyes.

"Good. And now just copy my moves." Shayariel went on and started with some basic moves a Jedi padawan learns in his first lesson. Padmé was a fast learner. She combined what Obi-Wan had already taught her in the meditation lessons with the things Shayariel was now showing her.

"You're doing very well, Padmé. Now close your eyes and focus on the Force. Don't be afraid, the Force will lead you." Shayariel said with a calm voice.

Padmé closed her eyes and felt the Force going through her. She just followed her intuition and performed exactly the same moves like Shayariel. It was indeed easy: She just had to listen to the voice within herself.

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When Obi-Wan woke up and put on his robe, he immediately realized that his lightsaber was gone, as well as Padmé and Shayariel. From one second to another, he was worried to death. What could have happened to them ? Had someone been here when he had been sleeping ? And why hadn't he sensed it ? He looked in every room but nobody was in the house. Then he suddenly heard a familiar female voice coming from outside. He went to the front door and opened it a little bit to look through. He saw Shayariel doing some practising with her lightsaber. Her moves were regular and fluent, sometimes round and slow, then sharp and quick. She used her weapon elegantly, very similar to himself, which was not extremely t considering the fact that they both had the same Master. As Obi-Wan walked out the door he saw another person standing next to Shayariel with a blue-bladed lightsaber in her hands. Mouth opened, he stared at Padmé as she was moving gracefully just like the girl beside her. It was clear to him that the saber she was using was his because she did not possess one. But he was not angry at all, nor did he interfere. He just stood there and watched the two women lead themselves by the Force. Shayariel seemed to be a good teacher as well as Padmé must be a quick learner. It was a weird scene that he was watching because he had never expected to see Padmé with a Jedi weapon. But on the other hand, he thought that he had never seen something so graceful and beautiful in his life.

Padmé was completely focused on the Force. She felt nothing but the strength that was filling her. Nothing but inner peace, nothing but the invisible hands that were co-ordinating her moves. Until she suddenly sensed someone else's presence. She knew that someboday was watching her and she could see his face smiling contentedly. All of a sudden, she deactivated the lightsaber and opened her eyes.

"Ben !" she called out his name. Shayariel interrupted the exercises, too and together they walked over to him.

"I've seen you practising. You're truly gifted, Padmé." He said in amazement.

"Ben, I'm sorry, she didn't take your lightsaber, it was me, so don't blame her, aright ? It was all my idea ! Don't be mad at her !" Shayariel tried to apologize. But Ben shook his head.

"Never mind. But you could have asked me first..."

"You were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you up." Shayariel explained.

"It's OK Shayariel. I'm actually glad you involved Padmé in your training. She can learn a lot from you." He answered.

"Don't know… From what I saw, I think I could learn a hell of a lot more from her than she from me." The young woman grinned when they got back inside.

"Would you excuse me for a second… I think I've got something to solve that lightsaber problem." Obi-Wan said and disappeared into the bedroom. A few moments later, he returned, holding something in his hand.

"Padmé… I don't know why I kept this… Maybe I just thought that it would be useful one day." He said quietly and revealed another lightsaber to her.

"Where did you get that from ?" she wondered.

"It used to be… Anakin's. I took it with me when I left him on Mustafar…" he answered hesitatingly. Padmé gently touched the Jedi weapon that had once been her husband's. Once more, a movie of memories was running through her head. Anakin had used it for good, he had fought so many wars with it and he had protected her with it. But then suddenly, she remembered what Obi-Wan had told her shortly before she had been leaving for Mustafar.

He killed younglings… 

And then she had to think of the battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin, when her husband had used this lightsaber against his Master, his friend…

"I can't except this, Ben." She whispered swallowing.

"But why not ?" he wanted to know.

"Because Anakin used it to kill innocent children and he pointed it at you back then on Mustafar. How could I… how could I…" Padmé broke down in tears. Obi-Wan put the lightsaber aside and embraced her tightly.

"Shhhh, Padmé. It's alright. Everything's alright. Listen, Anakin not only used it to do these horrible things. He also did a lot of good with it. And so will you. You are not like him, Padmé. I know you. And you would never harm anybody. But sometimes there are situations in which you have to be able to defend yourself. This weapon will protect you." He reassured her.

"And you really think it is right to use it ?" she inquired. Obi-Wan replied with a nod and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

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Padmé went to bed very early that day. But she still could not sleep. Although it had just been a dream, she could not stop thinking about it. And when she had finally fallen asleep, the same horrible vision appeared in her mind. She saw Shayariel dying. And no matter what she did in that dream to avoid the tragedy, it did not work. And very quietly, she heard the Force whisper:

Dark your visions are. But fear you shall not…

_To Be Continued…_


	13. A Fateful Decision

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Star Wars... etc._

_A Fateful Decision_

"And you're sure that you already want to leave ? You could stay with us for another couple of days." Padmé suggested while she was preparing the breakfast. She did not want Shayariel to leave. Although they had known each other for only a couple of days, they had become close friends. Moreover Padmé had to think about her nightmares over and over again. They had predicted Shayariel's death and she was afraid that they might come true when she left now.

"I'd love to stay but I really have to go. I bet my plants are already more than dried out." She joked. Although she sensed that something was wrong with Padmé, she did not mention it. Her friend was still worried about her and she also was aware of the sadness Padmé was carrying with herself. But she did not want to ruin the perfect harmony that morning. And furthermore, she also felt that it was time to leave Padmé and Obi-Wan alone so they could finally talk about their undefined relationship.

"It's a long and dangerous way back to Mos Espa." Padmé mentioned while drinking a drop of coffee.

"It definitely is. But I got here all alone in a damn sandstorm. I think I'll make it back without problems." Shayariel returned smiling.

"I don't know, Shayariel. I really think… I mean… I just have a bad feeling about this." The woman said concerned. Obi-Wan looked at his friend and knew that there was more to it than just a bad feeling.

"Padmé, what is it ?" he wanted to know.

"Nothing. It's just that I don't want her to go alone." She answered. Obi-Wan shook his head and took her hand in his.

"Can I talk to you for a second in the living room ?" he whispered. Padmé nodded and then they left the kitchen together.

Padmé sat down on the wooden bench and Obi-Wan placed himself beside her, putting an arm around her, trying to calm her down.

"What's wrong with you, Padmé ? I know you're keeping quiet about something. Tell me… Please… I want to help you but you have to be honest with me." He said carefully. Padmé started to sob.

"I had a nightmare. And… in that nightmare… she dies."

"But it was just a dream. That's nothing to be worried about." He replied.

"No, Ben. The Force… the Force was speaking to me… It said the nightmare was a vision. Do you understand ? It was the kind of dream Anakin used to have… about his mother… and me." She tried to explain.

"But he dreamed that you'd die in childbirth and you're still alive. See, dreams or visions not always come true. But still I'm glad you told me. Now we can probably do something about it." Obi-Wan said calmly.

"What if we can't ? What if she dies ?" Padmé said, sadness dripping off her voice.

"You know the ways of the Force, don't you ?" Padmé answered with a nod. "Then you have to remember that there is no death, there is the Force…"

Obi-Wan's words made her hope that it was not to late to change the events from her vision. But she had also noticed that he had not promised anything. Obi-Wan was a wise Jedi. And he knew that he could not save everybody. But he always found comfort in the Force…

"Shayariel ?" Obi-Wan called out her name.

"Huh ?" she answered and entered the living room.

"Uhm, Padmé and I think that it would maybe better if we accompany you. I mean, the desert can be dangerous, even at daytime. And we need some food supplies anyway, so what do you think ?" the Jedi suggested with a smile.

"Hmmm. Yeah, I think that's a damn good idea. To be honest with you, I was hoping you'd ask. It's a bloody long way home…" she laughed.

"Well, let's get started then !" Obi-Wan said.

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They reached Mos Espa in the late afternoon. Without a speeder, it really was quite a long way. Shayariel joined Obi-Wan and Padmé on their way to the market. While Padmé was looking for accessories, which could make their little house even more comfortable, Shayariel helped Obi-Wan carrying the food.

Padmé had not talked to him yet. She could sense it in the way he looked at her. Although he was longing for her so badly, he still kept a slight distance. He did not show it but Shayariel knew that it almost broke his heart.

"You need to talk to her, Ben." She interrupted the silence.

"What ?"

"Padmé. You need to tell her." She repeated. Obi-Wan turned around and looked at the girl kind of confused.

"What are you talking about ?" he inquired.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud, do I have to explain this stuff all over again ? Your feelings for her."

"How… how do you know ?" he whispered.

"She hasn't told you about the gift, has she ?" Obi-Wan shook his head.

"I have empathic powers. And I feel… things… emotions… of other people."

"Are you saying that…"

"Yes."

"Oh… But how ?"

"Does that really matter now ?"

"No."

"Then why don't you talk to her ?" she asked once more. Obi-Wan took a deep breath.

"She knows. And I know, too. But we both need…"

"…Time ?" she completed his sentence.

"Exactly." He replied and lowered his head.

"Don't you think that time is something way too precious to waste it like this ? Waiting ? Waiting for a moment that will probably never come ? You will never forget about him, Ben. Neither she nor you. But he's not here right now, is he ? Your life could be over tomorrow. And I'm pretty damn sure that you would regret… you know… not to have kissed her… and… It breaks my heart… literally. Because I feel you. Your feelings… sadness, heartache, sorrow. You could end it right away… Do me a favour and think about what I've just told you." She said with a sad voice and turned away from him.

Somehow, Shayariel's words had touched him intensely. She had not said much but what she had said was beautiful and so depressing at the same time. The girl was right. Time was something they did not have. The galaxy had become a battlefield and even here on Tattooine were spies and dangers coming from the empire. He could be dead by tomorrow and so could she. Padmé was all that was left of his former life. He lived for her and she lived for him. They lived for each other. She was so close to him every day but still so far away. He could not touch her, could not kiss her, could not tell her that he loved her because he was afraid. And suddenly everything seemed to be so easy. They loved each other – that was all that counted. The fear was gone and so were the thoughts of Anakin.

Shayariel was watching Padmé from a distance. A feeling of relief covered her soul. She had done anything she could to influence Obi-Wan's and Padmé's fate and somewhere deep within she knew that everything would be alright.

"Excuse me, Sir ?" a low and scary male voice shook her out of her thoughts. She turned around quickly, knowing that something was going horribly wrong. A tall, weird looking man was standing behind Obi-Wan. He was wearing a kind of metal suit, his face was covered by an heavy helmet, so she could not even see his eyes and he did not look friendly at all.

"Yes ?" Obi-Wan said while turning around, well knowing that whoever it was, he did not want to befriend with him.

"I have been watching you. I am looking for you... Jedi. Your head will be worth a lot…" He said, pointing his blaster at him. Obi-Wan swallowed. Normally, he would have killed him within a single second. But now he stood there and could not do anything. He was helpless because he could not put Padmé at risk, nor their disguise.

"Ah, for cryin' out loud, a bounty hunter. Shoulda known…" Shayariel murmured quietly. "Hey, Master, still there ? Shouldn't you warn me when something like this happens ?" she called out to Qui-Gon.

"I am sorry, padawan, but this is a lesson you have to learn on your own. This time I'm not allowed to interfere. I can only give you one advice: Listen to the Force and make the right decision." Qui-Gon's voice answered.

"Right decision ? What decision ? A bounty hunter is pointing a damn gun at Ben, what the hell is there to decide ?" she murmured while grabbing her lightsaber. Only a millisecond later, the purple energy blade let the civilians around them back away, although she knew that it was always risky to use the Jedi weapon in public. There were empirical spies everywhere, even on Tattooine. They were usually looking for rebels, Jedi or supporters of the Old Republic. Shayariel looked at her friends and she suddenly knew that there was only one thing she had to do. Padmé and Ben could be discovered by spy. Their true identities could be revealed… That would be their certain death. No, she would not let that happen. She couldn't. And suddenly, she knew what Qui-Gon had been talking about. She would probably have to sacrifice her life for theirs. And she had already made her decision…

"Hey, he's not the one you're looking for !" she shouted at the hunter who turned to her immediately.

"Shayariel !" Obi-Wan shouted, Padmé standing next to him.

"Look, this guy right there is just some moisture farmer from the desert. Really, how could one be so stupid and think he's a Jedi ?"

The hunter looked at the girl holding her lightsaber in her hands. He could not be sure if Obi-Wan really was the Jedi he had been searching for. But she definitely was a Jedi because only the Jedi used such weapons.

C'mon buddy, show me what you've got !" she challenged her enemy who started to shoot at her right away. But Shayariel was very good with the lightsaber. She blocked every shot with it and let the bounty hunter look like an amateur.

"Ben, we need to help her…" Padmé whispered to her companion while her hand was wandering to the lightsaber Obi-Wan had given to her. But he put his hand on hers and slightly shook his head.

"No… We can't. If we interfere, we'll all be in danger. She's doing this for us, Padmé." Obi-Wan said softly.

Stay away, I beg you ! This is my decision, my fight, my will and the will of the Force.

The Force sent her thoughts to her friends who were understanding and watching helplessly. Padmé felt tears coming up in her eyes because she knew that her vision was coming true and there was nothing she or Obi-Wan could do about it. She also knew why Shayariel did this and although she felt terribly guilt, she was thankful for the girl's decision. And then, Padmé's dream repeated itself in front of her eyes, but this time it was neither a nightmare, nor a vision of the future. It was happening right now and Padmé just fell into Obi-Wan's arms and cried.

It had only been one shot that she had not been able to block. One shot and she fell. One shot that would made her fade away. But not without losing this fight. As we was leaning down to her to check if she was dead, she opened her eyes.

"Hey… buddy…" she whispered.

"You lost. You're dead." He said triumphantly.

"No… I'm not dead… There is no death… there… is the Force… But you… you are… Game over !" Shayariel said grinning with all that was left of her strength. Then she reactivated the blade of her lightsaber and cut off his head with only one quick movement. As the bounty hunter's head fell on to the ground, Shayariel took a deep breath of relief.

"Shayariel !" Padmé said her name while she and Obi-Wan were running over to her.

"Hey…" she said weakly.

"What have you done ? Oh, Force ! You're bleeding !" Obi-Wan realized the wound in her chest that was bleeding profoundly. He put his hands on the burned flesh and tried to stop the flow of blood.

"I saved your lives…" she answered smiling.

"But why ?" he wanted to know.

"Because you're… my friends… I made a decision… And the hell… you know why…" Shayariel replied coughing.

_To Be Continued…_

_A/N_: Hope you like this one. I know it's a little sad in the end, but it had to be… Remember: There is no death, there is the Force…


	14. Sacrifice

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars…etc._

_Song by John Mellencamp "Yours Forever"_

_Sacrifice_

Shayariel was lying on the sandy ground, breathing heavily. The gaping wound in her chest was bleeding like rivers and it was hard for her to keep her tired eyes open. Obi-Wan and Padmé were kneeling next to her and while Padmé was holding her hand, Obi-Wan tried to supply her injuries.

"Why did you do that ? Why ? You risked your life…" Padmé whimpered sorrowfully.

"I'd rather… say… I sacrificed… it… And I did it… because you… are the future. You've got lots of stuff to do… here… For cryin' out loud... Killed by a bounty hunter... Never thought it would end that way..." she moaned coughing a gush of blood.

"Don't speak, Shayariel. Save your energy." Padmé whispered sadly.

"I maybe... young, Padmé. But I'm not stupid... I'm dying and there's nothing... you can do..." the young Jedi said hoarsely. Padmé shook her head energetically.

"You won't die ! Don't say things like that ! Ben will fix you !" she returned, not realizing the tears that were covering her pale face. As she looked at Obi-Wan, he shook his head, trying to suppress his tears.

"Don't gimme any crap... And stop crying for me for the Force's sake ! Remember, when you're so terribly sad, I am sad, too. And I always wanted to die with a damn smile on my face. I'll become one with the Force... just like my Master. I won't be alone. And we will meet again. Promised." Shayariel said weakly. Padmé knew that she was right. She would die. Still she tried to put on a smile. A faked one but at least she tried.

"And now you two have to promise me something..." she whispered. Obi-Wan and Padmé looked at her and listened closely.

"Don't waste your time on mourning about Anakin or me or anyone else. Look... life is way too short to wait for better times. I know it, because I'm lying here dying and I never had the chance to experience the kind of love and affection you two share with each other. Don't take it for granted. Such things only happen once in your life. I'm begging you... Leave the past behind and start finally living... and loving again. It's my last will so you actually have no choice on this..." Shayariel gasped breathing heavily.

"You know that's got nothing to do with my feelings for Ben. But I just cannot shut out my memories and my past." Padmé said sadly glancing at Obi-Wan.

"No, it's got something to do with you two being afraid of what could be… There's a life waiting out there, a life… you never… dared to dream of. You just have to reach out for it. Remember, every day you keep mourning about him, it's one lost day together. That is all… I can tell you… You're my friends… I want you to be happy…" she returned quietly.

"You've made us see things a lot clearer, Shayariel. We will always be grateful for that and for your honest friendship… You know wha I believe ? I believe you have been sent to show us the value of life… and love…" Obi-Wan whispered into her ear.

"The Force… will… be… with you…" she breathed. And then, with a slight but certainly happy smile on her face, she faded to black.

_Here we are in the greys of winter_

_Here we are – just me and you_

_Hold my hand, let's face tomorrow_

_Tomorrow still holds out its hands to you_

_This precious time_

_We've only borrowed_

_The autumn winds have blown on through_

_A quiet thought will tell our story_

_Tomorrow still holds out its hands to you_

_So here's some wings_

_They're yours forever_

_And here's some dreams_

_That will come true_

_Take those tears_

_To wash away your sorrow_

_Tomorrow still holds out its hands to you_

_Tomorrow still holds out its hands to you…_

Her eyes closed, she suddenly felt so light and peaceful, that she thought she was dreaming. Surrounded by a warm brightness she found herself standing in the desert mountains, not so far away from Padmé's and Obi-Wan's cabin. Next to her stood Qui-Gon Jinn, her Master, who had been waiting for her. She knew that some time had passed through since she had died in front of Padmé's and Obi-Wan's eyes. And she knew that the warmth that covered her from head to toe was the Force itself. Qui-Gon was smiling at her and glanced to the cabin. Shayariel looked over to where she had met her friends for the first time and smiled. She saw the two of them sitting on the wooden bench that once had used to stand in the living room. Obi-Wan had put an arm around Padmé while she was leaning her head against his shoulder. And through the Force, the words he told Padmé were carried to her mind.

_I love you, Padmé… I'm ready to love you now…_

"She was like an angel, wasn't she ?" Padmé murmured.

"She was… Well, a very sarcastic, sometimes bad-mannered angel who liked to curse… But yes, she was an angel, and I believe she still is in the Force."

"Shayariel taught us how to let go of everything. She made me see that time is too precious to waste. I'll never forget that." She said quietly.

There was now so much beauty in her life that she did not have to hold on to the past anymore. She was free now. Free to live. Free to love. She got up and looked at the desert that was dived into a magnificent mixture of colours. Finally she had found what she had been searching for so long. Peace. In their own little world somewhere in the desert mountains of Tattooine both of them had found release, peace and their personal little piece of happiness. That was all they could ask for. And that was all they had ever wanted. Padmé's thoughts drifted over to Luke and Leia. In front of her inner eye she could see her daughter being hold by her adoptive mother, smiling. She felt that it was all good and there was nothing to worry about. She also saw Luke lying in his bed, Beru sitting next to him and singing a nice lullaby for him. No, there was definitely nothing to worry about. Her thoughts wandered through the Force and covered her children with all of her love and the warmth she was feeling whenever she thought of them.

Obi-Wan found himself standing next to the woman he loved like nothing else in the galaxy. But until Shayariel's death, he had never dared to dream of being with her. Too painful the thought of his former padawan, brother and best friend… and her husband had been. He just had not known how to deal with the new situation. He also had been afraid that someday, Padmé would blame him for Anakin's turn to the dark side and moreover for her husband's monstrous appearance. But he should have known that Padmé was smarter than that. She had always called Obi-Wan a friend, probably the closest friend she had ever had. Once she had told him that he would be the last to blame for Anakin's misery. He had loved her for such a long time. He had loved her secretly in his dreams and no one had ever known, not even Anakin. He had always been able to keep it to himself, hidden in his soul, where no one would ever find his thoughts an dreams. And when she had confessed her own feelings to him, he had not known how to react. He had begged for time. And time had told him by now that there was nothing wrong with his feelings. They were alright now.

Padmé looked at him with all her love and could not keep her eyes from him. He had given her so much, and he would give her even more in the future. His deep blue eyes told her from his innermost that made her almost cry. She did not remember Anakin looking at her this way. Not once he had ever let her look into his soul like Obi-Wan did right in this moment.

The warm wind blew gently through their joyful faces and let Padmé's long dark hair sway to its regular rhythm. She was the most beautiful creature in the universe to him. Right now he only wanted to bathe in the depth of her heart, wanted to embrace her, kiss her tenderly and never let her go again. And because there were no more walls between them, no more rivers to cross, he just leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her lips.

"Well that was about time, don't ya think, Master ?" Shayariel mentioned, her ghostly apparition standing next to Qui-Gon's, watching the two lovers on the edge of the mountain. He just nodded smiling contentedly.

"I am proud of you, padawan. You sacrificed your life for theirs. You searched your feelings and made a very wise decision. I couldn't have done it any better." He said friendly.

"Ah… not at all, Master. I'm sure you wouldn't have done it any differently if you had been in my place, would ya ?" she replied, turning her look to Qui-Gon.

"Maybe. But I'm gad that you've finally realized what it means to be a Jedi. You're not my apprentice anymore. You're a Jedi now." Qui-Gon answered.

"You mean I can now stop calling you 'Master' ?" she inquired, sarcasm dripping off her voice.

"Yes." Qui-Gon laughed putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Too stupid that I had to die first…" she joked as they were turning away from Obi-Wan and Padmé.

"Better now than never."

"You're right. And what are we gonna do now ?" she wanted to know.

"Well… we can do anything. We're immortal, invisible and we can go whereever we want to go." He replied.

"Oh yeah, right. Hmmm… eternal life in the Force. Great. We'll have a lot of fun Mast… uhm… Qui-Gon…"

"I was afraid you're gonna say that…"

_To Be Continued_


	15. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars…. etc.

_**Epilogue** _

In the end, there was light again. The light of the Force, of those who had become one with it and the light of the love between a Jedi and a former galactic senator. And this time, the young woman's love was a blessing, not a curse that led to the dark side. Quite the reverse, it had saved both of them from despair and hopelessness.

The end of darkness always symbolizes the beginning of light. A light that was now reflected in the eyes of two little children who were meant to be the new hope for peace in the galaxy. A light in the face of a Jedi Master and his beautiful fiancée as they were standing in front of the altar to get married. A light that surrounded an older Master and his young apprentice when they were watching the ceremony with a brought smile on their faces.

"Padmé, I promise that I will always be with you no matter what. In life and death and in the Force. In darkness and light. We went through so much darkness and we're still here. How could we not be together until the end of time. I love you and I always will." Obi-Wan said slowly and let a simple but still gorgeous silver-coloured ring slide on her slender finger.

"Ben… I have to apologize… For so many years, you have been my friend. You have loved me all along. And what did I do ? I was blinded by my naiveté and selfishness. And still you saved me, held my hand in my darkest hours, lifted me up when I was weak. I can't tell you how much you mean to me and how much my love has grown since I have almost been dead and you've brought me back to life. You're the reason why I'm still here. I promise you that I won't hurt you again because I'd feel the pain just like you would. I love you. I truly do. And no darkness could ever be dark enough to kill the flame of the love for you that is burning deep within my heart." She said her vows, sobbing, crying tears of joy.

"Now that you have made your vows, there is only one thing that I'd like to add. Always remember that where there is despair, there is also hope. The end of something is the beginning of something new. And where there is darkness, there is light. Through the will of the Force, you are husband and wife. May the Force be with you… Always." The monk said and finally the ceremony ended with an endless seeming passionate kiss high up in the mountains of Tattooine.

Of course, they did not know the future. They did not know that it would be Ben and Yoda training Luke to become a Jedi. And nor did they know that it would be Leia leading the rebellion against the Empire and that it would be Luke saving his father's soul. But these are other stories that will be told by someone else. Padmé and Ben did not think about the future right in that moment, they preferred to seize the day.

And this is, where this story ends…

THE END

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_A/N:_ I'm sorry that I needed another four weeks to update and I hope you're not too disappointed because this is just the epilogue to the story and not a real chapter. I really thought about writing another chappi but to me it didn't make any sense to keep on writing this story. I wrote another one but it just sounded like crap. I mean, I could write about Ben and Padmé being together on Tattooine for a million chapters but it still would be meaningless. So I thought them getting married would be a perfect ending. I had a lot of fun writing the story and I'm sure I'm gonna miss writing it, now that it's done. I hope you guys had fun reading it and that you went through sorrow, sadness, happiness and hopeful moments with Padmé, Obi-Wan and also Shayariel. I was really flattered when you reviewed my story and told me that you liked Shayariel so much. She was the creation of my mind, my "baby" if you could say so. Therefore, I was so happy to read all the positive reactions. Thank you all very, very much !


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